Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government postponed the declaration of rice and corn self-sufficiency, previously scheduled for December 31, as it is currently still focusing on disaster relief efforts in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
This was confirmed by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He emphasized that, despite the postponement of an official announcement, recording the achievement of food self-sufficiency continues as the year ends. This milestone marks 2025 as a significant year in which Indonesia successfully avoided rice and corn imports.
He clarified that even though the government has not officially declared rice and corn self-sufficiency as of December 31, 2025, the accomplishment is still recognized as a government achievement.
"The data from the night of December 31st is vital. Why? Because the 2025 self-sufficiency records are finalized as we head into January 1st. The fact that there were no more rice imports is a key highlight," he explained.
Sudaryono confirmed that these records cover rice and corn, the two primary pillars of national food security. Production for both has been bolstered through upstream policies and by strengthening the agricultural sector across all national production hubs.
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman earlier stated that Indonesia is ready to declare food self-sufficiency in rice and corn on December 31, 2025, in line with the national target.
He noted that self-sufficiency could be achieved as national production increased and food distribution became more stable, putting Indonesia's food security in a strong position.
During a recent meeting on 2026 government rice reserves in Jakarta on Monday (December 29), Minister Sulaiman stated that Indonesia's rice stocks stood at 3.39 million tons, the highest level in the country's history since independence.
National rice production also saw a significant surge this year. According to Area Sampling Frame (KSA) data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), rice production from January to December 2025 is projected to reach 34.77 million tons—a 13.54 percent increase compared to 2024.
