Minister of Agriculture Amran does not mind Bertigo to control rice self-sufficiency

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman reiterated the commitment to controlling rice self-sufficiency even though he had vertigo, because the state's responsibility is more important for the sustainable national food security in accordance with President Prabowo Subianto's instructions.

Amran said that accelerating the target of self-sufficiency from four years to three to one year was a major challenge that was answered together with the Ministry of Agriculture and national cross-sector stakeholders in a consistent manner.

"At a time (the target of self-sufficiency in rice) becomes one year, thank God we are vertigo, we have heartburn, today we have started to recover, recovery again," said Minister of Agriculture Amran, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 7.

He emphasized that success was not the work of individuals, but rather a strong collaboration between ministries, including presidential support and synergy of the food, fisheries, and agriculture sectors in the field that were integrated and oriented towards national tangible results.

"We are not working alone. If I were alone, I would not have achieved what we see today. Earlier, Mr. (President Prabowo) promised four years, then changed to three years, then one year," said Amran.

Despite facing vertigo and heartburn, Amran stated that his health condition gradually recovered, thanks to the team's work spirit and the support of cross-sectoral government that maintains the rhythm of accelerating the priority national food program.

The announcement of Food Self-sufficiency by the President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto was also attended by Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, Trade Minister Budi Santoso, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Nusron Wahid.

In addition, the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian, Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin; Chairman of Commission IV of the DPR RI Siti Hediati Hariyadi or commonly known as Titiek Soeharto, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Attorney General ST Burhanuddin.

Then also attended by a number of governors, including West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi and other officials.

It is known that the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) previously stated that based on the sample area framework (KSA) of November 2025, the national rice production in 2025 is predicted to reach 34.71 million tons, exceeding the annual domestic needs of around 30-31 million tons per year.

The procurement of rice in 2025 was also recorded as the largest in the history of Perum Bulog through the direct purchase of grain from any quality farmers at a price of Rp. 6,500 per kilogram.

Government rice reserves reached a record 4.2 million tons in June 2025 and are now in the range of 3.25 million tons at the beginning of 2026, along with the distribution of rice for disasters as well as stock and price control.

This achievement reflects the stability of supply, price bias to farmers, and the state's presence in food governance. As a result, farmers are increasingly enthusiastic to produce with price guarantees and certainty of absorption by Bulog

Previously, based on the projections of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the production of Indonesian rice in the 2024-2025 growing season is projected to reach 34.6 million tons.

Similar beliefs were conveyed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) which predicts that national rice production can reach 35.6 million tons by 2025, showing that self-sufficiency is getting stronger and sustainable.

In terms of the economy, the agricultural sector showed impressive performance. In the first quarter of 2025, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the agricultural sector grew by 10.52 percent, the highest in the last 15 years.

The indicator of farmer welfare also recorded a record. The Farmer Exchange Rate (NTP) in December 2025 reached 125.35 percent, the highest in history.

This figure reflects the increase in farmers' purchasing power, as agricultural product prices improve and household production and consumption costs are controlled.

Food self-sufficiency is no longer understood solely as stock adequacy, but as a path to a more prosperous farmer.

In terms of policy, the issuance of Presidential Regulation Number 6 of 2025 and the Minister of Agriculture Regulation Number 15 of 2025 is an important breakthrough.

Simplifying regulations by cutting 145 rules allows farmers to redeem subsidized fertilizer immediately from January 1, 2025 at 00.00 WIB, a historic step that accelerates fertilizer access, increases certainty for farmers, and maintains the momentum of the planting season.

This bias is strengthened by the reduction of the highest retail price (HET) of subsidized fertilizer by 20 percent starting October 22, 2025, which encourages an increase in fertilizer distribution by 14 percent compared to the same period previously.

In the midst of domestic strengthening, the global competitiveness of the agricultural sector has also increased. From January to October 2025, agricultural exports, which include fresh and processed ones, reached 38.33 billion US dollars (USD) and brought a surplus agricultural trade balance of 18.79 billion US dollars.