Indonesia’s Agriculture Minister, Andi Amran Sulaiman, has announced a major push to make the country self-sufficient in sugar production within the next three years. The plan focuses on simplifying regulations, increasing sugarcane output, and expanding sugarcane plantations.
During a meeting with the state-owned plantation company PTPN in Surabaya, East Java, on Wednesday, Sulaiman said that outdated regulations are holding back both farmers and government-run companies. He stressed the importance of updating these regulations to allow more flexibility in making decisions that can improve productivity, reported Antara News
He pointed out that around 86 percent of existing sugarcane fields are not performing well.
As part of the government’s plan, there will be improvements in irrigation, the use of better sugarcane varieties, and more effective ways to prepare land for planting. A large-scale expansion of plantation areas is also on the cards.
“We plan to add at least 200,000 hectares of new sugarcane fields. This will help PTPN reach its target in the next three years,” Sulaiman said.
He also mentioned that President Prabowo Subianto has approved funding between Rp30 trillion and Rp40 trillion (about US$2.45 billion) for the sugar program. This money will be used to support farmers with fertilizer subsidies, better sugarcane seeds, and other production needs.
The Ministry of Agriculture, along with PTPN, will submit proposals to ease regulations to other government departments.
“This is our way of showing we are serious. Sugar self-sufficiency isn’t just a goal anymore, it’s something we are making happen now,” Sulaiman said.
