Amran Says Global Conglomerates Quietly Entering Food Sector, Crisis Threat Looms

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that global conglomerates have been quietly entering the agriculture sector over recent times. These conglomerates are reportedly purchasing large tracts of farmland amid global food threats. “The conglomerates are starting to enter the agriculture sector quietly by buying large-scale farmland,” Amran said during a Working Meeting with Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (7/4/2026). The crisis is further worsened by the war between Israel and the United States (US) against Iran in the West Asia region (Middle East). That war is known to have closed the Strait of Hormuz, the main waterway for distributing fossil and petrochemical products from Gulf countries. “Threatening hunger for 40 million people,” Amran stated. According to Amran, the global conglomerates are not only buying farmland. They are also pouring investments into agribusiness and building technology-based food ecosystems. Against this backdrop, agriculture is projected to be one of the fastest-growing sectors until 2030. “Food is also increasingly viewed as a strategic asset,” Amran remarked. Beyond these global challenges, Amran mentioned that Indonesia faces threats of extreme drought in most regions of the country. The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) states that the drought is triggered by the Godzilla El Nino phenomenon. Based on data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the drought this year will begin in April in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and will spread to other areas. “With the drought peaking in August,” Amran said.