President Jokowi Calls 10.2 Million Tons Of Rice Stock Proof Of Indonesia's Food Security Amid The World Crisis

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the national rice stock until April 2022 reached 10.2 million tons. This proves that Indonesia has a good food security system.

This was conveyed by President Jokowi when receiving an award from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for Indonesia's success in achieving rice self-sufficiency and the good food security system it has.

"Our stock (rice) in the field was the highest at the end of April 2022, which was 10.2 million tons. If you ask where the goods are? It's in the community, in farmers, in restaurants as well as in Bulog plus several food industries, " said President Jokowi at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Antara, Sunday, August 14.

President Jokowi explained that the surplus or stock of rice that was owned in the midst of the world food crisis was one of the indicators that Indonesia had won an award for a good food security system from IRRI.

During the last three years from 2019 to 2021, Indonesia has also consistently not opened rice imports because national production is sufficient for food needs. It is recorded that the average national rice production reached 31.3 million tons in 2019-2021.

Therefore, President Jokowi also asked for an increase in food productivity so that Indonesia could enter the rice export market. In addition, in order not to depend on only one commodity, namely rice, the President asked for food diversification, including the sorghum crop which is currently being developed in Waingapu, East Nusa Tenggara.

With the extensification of land for sorghum, the President hopes that Indonesia will no longer depend on imported corn, both for food and animal feed.

"We hope that by continuing to concentrate there, God willing, we will no longer import corn in the next 2-3 years, such as rice which has not been imported for three years," said President Jokowi.