Indonesia ’s rice production may reach 71 million tons this year, up
2.3 percent from the July forecast of 69 million tonnes, the country’s
Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has announced.
BPS said the
amount has exceeded the national appetite of 36 million tonnes of rice
per year, allowing the country cease its imports of rice in the
remaining months of 2013.
This is a motivation for the
completion of a range of new food production targets recently set by the
Government to ease dependence on imported commodities and stabilise
food prices.
The agency reported that Indonesia has
expanded its rice growing area to 324,000 hectares, raising the
country’s total to 13.8 million hectares.
In related move,
Indonesian Agriculture Minister Suswono on November 1 voiced hope that
the country may not need to import rice this year as Bulog, the State
procurement agency, has purchased an amount that can ensure the national
food security from local farmers.
Indonesia is one of the
world’s largest rice consumers with an average of 139 kilograms per
capita per year, compared to 60 kg in Japan , 63 kg in Malaysia and
100 kg in China.
Despite being the world’s third largest
rice producer, Indonesia has been among the biggest rice importers
in recent years, with 1 million tonnes per year, due to narrowed growing
areas and erratic weather.
The country mainly imports the grain from Thailand , Vietnam and India.
The Indonesian Government targets rice, corn and soybean self-sufficiency in 2014.VNA