Farmers plant rice seeds at a paddy field in Samahani in Indonesia's Aceh province on January 25, 2023. (Photo by CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN / AFP)
Jakarta: Indonesia's total rice production is expected to reach 18.76 million tons between January and June this year, marking a significant 11.17 percent increase compared to the same period last year, Central Statistics Agency (BPS) predicted on Friday.
"Rice production in Indonesia will see a significant rise in the first half of 2025, raising hopes for stability in the national food supply," said Pudji Ismartini, BPS deputy for distribution statistics and services, during a press conference.
Ismartini attributed part of the growth to a surge in production during the March harvest season, particularly in three key rice-producing provinces like East Java, Central Java, and West Java.
"The total harvested area in these provinces in March reached 1.67 million hectares, yielding 8.93 million tons of dry unhusked rice," she added.
Earlier, Indonesian Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that the country's annual rice production could hit 34 million tons this year.
Recently, President Prabowo Subianto suggested that Indonesia might export rice to neighboring countries, as production is projected to exceed the target of 32 million tons.
