JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com—Indonesia produced 34.69 million tonnes of rice in 2025, allowing President Prabowo Subianto to declare national rice self-sufficiency as his administration approaches its second year in office.

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) reported rice production for household consumption increased by 4.07 million tonnes, or 13.29 percent, from 30.62 million tonnes in 2024. The country harvested approximately 11.32 million hectares of paddy fields, an increase of 12.69 percent year-on-year.

Indonesia also produced 60.21 million tonnes of dry milled paddy in 2025, compared with 53.14 million tonnes a year earlier, according to the BPS data.

The National Food Agency (BPN) estimated rice consumption at 31.16 million tonnes during the same year. Based on those figures, domestic output exceeded estimated demand by approximately 3.53 million tonnes.

Prabowo formally announced the country’s food self-sufficiency achievement during a harvest ceremony in Karawang, West Java, on Jan. 7, 2026. He had initially allowed his administration four years to reach the target.

“There can be no independent nation if it cannot provide food for its people. It is impossible for a nation to be independent if its food depends on another country,” Prabowo said in the official presidential transcript.

The president said dependence on foreign food supplies could expose Indonesia to international disruptions. He cited the COVID-19 pandemic, when several rice-producing countries restricted exports to protect their domestic markets.

Indonesia’s food buffer has continued to grow in 2026. Government rice reserves managed by state logistics agency Bulog reached approximately 4.61 million tonnes as of Sept. 19. The government described the figure as one of the highest reserve levels in the country’s history.

Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman estimated total national rice availability at 26.91 million tonnes in September. He said the amount could meet consumption needs for around 310 days.

However, the figure does not consist entirely of rice already stored in warehouses. It includes 4.61 million tonnes held by Bulog and an estimated 12.86 million tonnes kept by households and other market participants. The calculation also includes 9.44 million tonnes expected from crops scheduled for harvest between September and December 2026.

The Agriculture Ministry attributed the production increase to a larger harvested area, improved access to subsidized fertilizer and greater use of agricultural machinery. Government procurement also encouraged Bulog to absorb more rice from domestic farmers.

With better production and big reserves, the government has more room to distribute food aid and intervene when retail prices rise. Bulog has continued to distribute rice through the Food Supply and Price Stabilization.

More than large reserves will be needed to maintain the achievement. The government has to protect crops from adverse weather, ensure remunerative prices for farmers and keep rice affordable for consumers.

Indonesia’s ability to remain self-sufficient beyond the 2025 harvest cycle will hinge on continued productivity and balanced market policies.