Agriculture Minister assures food stocks amid El Niño threat

Makassar (ANTARA) - Agriculture Minister (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman has guaranteed rice food stocks amid the threat of drought due to the El Niño phenomenon predicted to occur this year. Minister Amran stated that the national rice stock is currently in the safest condition throughout the history of the Republic of Indonesia, with reserves sufficient to meet needs for the next 10 months. “Our stock, reserves in Bulog warehouses, in the field, is enough for the next 10 months. If from this March, then until December it is sufficient. I repeat, our stock today is enough for the next 10 months,” he said after opening the 26th Bugis Makassar Merchant Meeting (PSBM) of 2026 in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Thursday. He explained that the currently available stock does not include that which will be harvested in the coming months. That means, he said, it is capable of producing a total reserve of up to 14 million tonnes, predicted to cover needs until May 2027. The El Niño threat usually lasts only six months, so it will not have a major impact on food stocks. The Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) of the Republic of Indonesia expressed his confidence that national food security will not be disrupted by the long dry season triggered by El Niño. “Our stock is at its highest today, that’s 4.2 million tonnes. Next month it will become 5 million tonnes. Such stock has never occurred during the Independent Republic,” he said.