BPS Records National Farmers' Exchange Rate at 125.35 in March

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that the national Farmers’ Exchange Rate (NTP) in March 2026 reached 125.35, down 0.08 percent compared to February 2026 (month-to-month/mtm). “The decline in NTP occurred because the index of prices received by farmers (It) rose 0.33 percent, lower than the index of prices paid by farmers (Ib) which increased 0.41 percent,” said Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics at BPS, Ateng Hartono, during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday. In addition, BPS also noted an increase in the average price of rice at the milling, wholesale, and retail levels, by 0.54 percent, 0.96 percent, and 0.65 percent mtm, respectively. On the other hand, Ateng said the realised harvested area for paddy in February 2026 was estimated at 0.94 million hectares (ha), up 23.62 percent from February 2025 (0.76 million hectares). This increase in harvested area was followed by an increase in paddy production. In February 2026, paddy production reached 5.05 million tons of dry milled grain (GKG), up 27.41 percent compared to February 2025. BPS also reported that the potential harvested area for paddy in March-May 2026 is estimated at 3.85 million hectares, experiencing a decrease of 0.46 million hectares, or about 10.60 percent lower than the same period in 2025. Furthermore, the potential paddy production in March-May 2026 is estimated at 20.68 million tons GKG, down 11.12 percent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, rice production in March-May 2026 is estimated at 11.91 million tons of rice, down 11.11 percent. Further, the realised harvested area for corn in February 2026 reached 0.31 million hectares, down 7.02 percent compared to February 2025. Meanwhile, corn production in February 2026 was recorded at 1.77 million tons of dry shelled corn with 14 percent moisture content (JPK KA 14 percent), down 4.91 percent compared to February 2025.