Sugarcane farmers have provided concrete \u201crecipes\u201d for Indonesia to\nbreak free from sugar import dependency and achieve self-sufficiency.\nThe key lies not in massive expansion, but in internal improvements,\nsuch as land intensification, data correction, and the use of\nagricultural tools and machinery (alsintan) suited to domestic land\nconditions.<\/p>\n
APTRI Chairman Soemitro Samadikoen stressed that the most crucial\ninitial step is to strengthen the national sugarcane sector\u2019s\nfoundation, starting from data to real field conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIntensification (of sugarcane land) first. From the existing land,\nproperly survey the planting area. What is our actual area? It always\nincreases every year, is that true? It\u2019s not true. I have proof, it\u2019s\nnot true. So this is not accurate,\u201d Soemitro told CNBC Indonesia on\nFriday (10\/4\/2026).<\/p>\n
According to him, the government needs to conduct comprehensive\nmapping of sugarcane land, including locations, plant conditions, and\npartnership patterns with sugar mills. From there, the main problems\nhindering productivity can be identified.<\/p>\n
\u201cData our crops according to reality. Then, assess their condition.\nSo mapping is needed. Map the area, the state, where our current sugar\nplants are, and whether they partner with sugar mills. So build\npartnerships. Tripartite, yes. Sugar mills, government, and farmers,\u201d he\nexplained.<\/p>\n
He emphasised that every field problem must be specifically diagnosed\nbefore intervention. From water shortages, fertiliser, seeds, to capital\naccess.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, fulfil the shortages. Short on water, build irrigation\nchannels. Short on fertiliser, facilitate fertiliser access. Short on\nseeds, short on capital, facilitate capital acquisition. So what\u2019s the\ndiagnosis? Is it correct? Once diagnosed, what\u2019s the disease? Then treat\nit,\u201d Soemitro clarified.<\/p>\n
Additionally, he criticised policy approaches deemed still top-down\nwithout involving farmers as the main actors in the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it\u2019s about farmers\u2019 affairs, invite us to talk, me. Don\u2019t not\ninvite to talk. We (smallholder sugarcane farmers) are never invited to\ntalk. Invited to talk properly. Not one-way traffic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mechanisation Must Be Adapted<\/p>\n
Soemitro also highlighted the importance of mechanisation, but with\nan approach suited to Indonesia\u2019s conditions. He reminded that the\nsmall-scale structure of domestic sugarcane land is not compatible with\nlarge tools used in other countries.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur land\u2019s mechanisation is not the same as lands abroad, using big\nalsintan, can\u2019t. Create agricultural production tools that suit our land\nconditions,\u201d Soemitro explained.<\/p>\n
He even suggested that the government encourage the development of\nsmall-sized alsintan that are more adaptive to farmers\u2019 land.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur land is how? Small-small. Well, create small tractors, small\nalsintan. Not big ones. They should listen to us. Don\u2019t just assume,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, he also mentioned obstacles in accessing\nsubsidised fertiliser, which farmers still find difficult due to\nadministrative issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s said subsidised fertiliser, but we have a hard time even using\nsubsidised fertiliser,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Government Accelerates Sugarcane Rejuvenation<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman stated that the\ngovernment is focusing on rejuvenating sugarcane plants (ratoon\ndismantling) as a quick step to boost national production.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter we evaluated in 2025 on the direction of Mr President (Prabowo\nSubianto), we checked our sugarcane across Indonesia, 70%-80% is not\nviable. So we do ratoon dismantling and Mr President asked us to help\nIndonesian sugarcane farmers, we immediately allocated Rp1.7 trillion in\n2025, we continue in 2026,\u201d Amran said when met at the Parliament\nComplex, Jakarta, on Wednesday (8\/4\/2026).<\/p>\n
According to him, of the total approximately 500,000 hectares of\nnational sugarcane land, around 300,000 hectares are old plants that are\nno longer productive.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur plan is ratoon dismantling because approximately 300,000\n(hectares) out of 500,000 hectares are old plants, production can\u2019t\npossibly rise, so farmers can\u2019t profit,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
This programme is targeted to run for three years with a scheme of\n100,000 hectares per year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government\u2019s step is, we help with ratoon dismantling and that\u2019s\ngovernment subsidy, 100,000 hectares of ratoon per year, Insyaallah\nfinished in 3 years, that\u2019s the government\u2019s step,\u201d he revealed.<\/p>\n
Amran is optimistic that if the programme runs as planned, Indonesia\ncan achieve self-sufficiency in consumption sugar in the near\nfuture.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe production increase is clear, at the latest 2027 we achieve\nself-sufficiency in white sugar (consumption sugar),\u201d he concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sugarcane-farmers-provide-key-recommendations-to-government-for-indonesias-sugar-self-sufficiency-1775832653", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }