Indonesia touts ‘victory’ in achieving rice self-sufficiency
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Indonesia last achieved rice self-sufficiency in 2008, and before that in the mid-1980s.
PHOTO: AFP
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KARAWANG, Indonesia - President Prabowo Subianto said on Jan 7 that Indonesia’s rice production met all domestic demand, hailing a landmark achievement for food security – one of his key campaign promises.
In a speech to farmers in Karawang, east of the capital Jakarta, Mr Prabowo celebrated an “important victory” in achieving rice self-sufficiency within just over a year since he entered office in October 2024.
“No nation is truly free if food is not available to its people. A nation cannot be independent if its food supply depends on other countries,” he said.
Indonesia last achieved rice self-sufficiency in 2008, and before that in the mid-1980s.
Rice is a staple food in the South-east Asian nation of 286 million people.
According to the National Food Agency, a government body aimed at advancing food security, Indonesia produced 34.71 million tonnes of rice in 2025, exceeding annual consumption needs of 31.19 million tonnes.
“Today is a happy day for me,” said Mr Prabowo, who at the start of his administration set a four-year target for rice self-sufficiency.
It was achieved years ahead of schedule, with the government citing increased subsidies for farmers and streamlined regulations.
“If many critics sneer and say we can’t achieve food self-sufficiency, today we prove that we are food self-sufficient,” Mr Prabowo said.
According to Statistics Indonesia, South-east Asia’s largest economy used to import rice from major exporters Vietnam, Thailand and India.
But according to the government, Indonesia did not import any rice at all in 2025.
On the campaign trail, Mr Prabowo put food security and agricultural self-sufficiency at the forefront.
After assuming the presidency, he launched a free meal initiative
But critics have argued that Mr Prabowo’s flagship programme took away financial resources from other important initiatives, and pointed to more than 10,000 cases of food poisoning
