Ministry Of Agriculture: Padi Production Quarter III Reaches 43.28 Million Tons Of GKG

Head of BSIP Gorontalo Sumarni Panikkai harvests rice from the Gogo rice and pumping area expansion (PAT) program, in Paguyaman District, Boalemo Regency, Gorontalo (doc. ANTARA).

Jakarta - Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) noted that national rice production in the third quarter of 2024 reached 43.28 million tons of milling dry unhulled rice (GKG).

"The production of rice in the third quarter of 2024 reached 43.28 million tons of GKG or 78.09 percent of the 2024 target of 55.42 million tons," said Director General of Food Crops at the Ministry of Agriculture, Yudi Sastro, in a statement in Jakarta, Saturday, October 26, 2024.

Yudi said that this achievement was considered quite successful, with several rice production factors, including support for the national planting acceleration movement, rice area development facilities in the form of saprodies with a total assistance of 1.1 million hectares.

In addition, controlling plant-disturbing organisms (OPT) and handling the impact of climate change, facilitating alsintan (development and agricultural machinery) after harvesting and massive assistance from the center, province, district/city in the planting movement.

Then, Yudi continued, this success was also supported by rice fields and pumping activities carried out by the Directorate General of Infrastructure and Agriculture Facilities of the Ministry of Agriculture in an effort to accelerate planting for production security.

"For this reason, we will continue to support the escort of pumping activities so that areas that have the potential to accelerate planting can carry out planting. Thus, contributing to the addition of added planting area to support the increase in rice production in 2024," he said as quoted by Antara.

Yudi added that in 2023 rice production had succeeded in exceeding the target of 52.12 million tons of GKG, reaching 53.63 million tons of GKG or 102.88 percent.

The government's support for rice cultivation activities covering an area of 1.10 million hectares in 2023 contributed 10.46 percent to the realization of the national rice harvest area and area.

"From the area of planting aid, the government contributed 9.38 percent to national rice production in 2023," said Yudi.

Previously, Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that he was committed to being ready to fight for the sovereignty of Indonesian food, focusing on increasing production and expanding agricultural areas.

"The President and Vice President pay great attention to the agricultural sector. Take self-sufficiency as quickly as possible, in short. I say we are ready and we are confident we can afford it," Amran said in Jakarta, Wednesday, October 23, 2024.

Amran said that he and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono, who resumed their leadership at the Ministry of Agriculture, were ready to make maximum efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency.

He emphasized that this was in accordance with President Prabowo's direction in the 2024-2029 Red and White Cabinet. The reason is, Indonesia must be able to achieve food sovereignty in order to reduce dependence on imports of foodstuffs.

"Under the leadership of the President, we are committed to realizing the ideals of a food sovereign Indonesia," he said.