JAKARTA: Indonesia's ban on rice imports has contributed to a decline in global rice prices, the country’s Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan said on Tuesday (Dec 16), reported Antara news agency.
"When I was serving as trade minister, global rice prices stood at US$650 per tonne. After we enforced the import ban, prices fell to below US$400. Our policy has had global impacts," Hasan said.
He said Indonesia was previously among the world's largest rice importers but has since shifted policy by boosting domestic production under President Prabowo Subianto's administration.
Hasan noted that Indonesia imported 4.5 million tonnes of rice last year, while in 2025 the country recorded a surplus of 4.7 million tonnes. State-run logistics firm Bulog is currently holding about 3.7 million tonnes of rice in stock.
Data from the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs show national rice production reached 34.77 million tonnes this year, an increase of 13.54 per cent from last year.
The ministry also recorded corn production at 16.55 million tonnes this year, up 9.34 per cent from 2024.
Hasan attributed the gains to regulatory simplification, particularly in the procurement and distribution of subsidised fertilisers, which have allowed farmers to receive supplies in line with planting schedules.
"Farmers can now receive fertilisers ahead of the planting season. This has had a significant impact on national rice production," he said.
Indonesia is expected to achieve rice self-sufficiency in early 2026, Hasan added. - Bernama-Antara
