Central Java Rice Production for January–March 2026 Expected to Reach 3.35 Million Tonnes of Milled Dry Grain
Central Java Province has commenced its main rice harvest simultaneously across 35 regencies and cities for the January–March 2026 period. Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi led a symbolic harvest ceremony at paddy fields in Jambu Village, Jambu Sub-district, Semarang Regency on Friday, 20 February 2026.
The harvest for this period is estimated to reach approximately 3.35 million tonnes of milled dry grain (GKG). This figure represents an increase of 413,698 tonnes of GKG, or roughly 14 per cent, from the same period in 2025. The estimate is based on the area sample framework (KSA) calculations by the Central Java branch of Statistics Indonesia (BPS).
Ahmad Luthfi said that Central Java's policy direction for 2026 is food self-sufficiency. The target rice planting area for the whole of Central Java from January to December 2026 is approximately 2.38 million hectares.
As of 18 February 2026, actual planting had covered 216,098 hectares. Meanwhile, Central Java's 2026 rice production target stands at 10.55 million tonnes of GKG, a 12.22 per cent increase from the 2025 realisation of 9.3 million tonnes.
"Last year in 2025 we managed to contribute 15 per cent to national production; in 2026 this must increase further," he said after inaugurating the main harvest, accompanied by Semarang Regent Ngesti Nugraha and Head of the Central Java Bureau of Logistics (Bulog) Sri Muniati.
To meet this target, Luthfi instructed the Head of the Central Java Provincial Agriculture and Livestock Service, Defransisco Dasilva Tavares, to strengthen connectivity with all 35 regencies and cities. A joint commitment with all regents and mayors was already made in January in Surakarta.
"Connectivity with the 35 regencies and cities in maintaining agricultural land, mechanisation regarding equipment, and equally important is that we support our farmer groups (Gapoktan) from seedling, fertilisation, through to post-harvest," he said.
This main harvest also introduced a mechanised harvesting system known as the "train system" (sistem sepur), which can significantly shorten the time between harvest and planting.
"Using this equipment has proven to be much faster," he said.
Head of the Central Java Provincial Agriculture and Livestock Service Defransisco Dasilva Tavares explained that the train system involves the simultaneous use of harvesting equipment, field processing machinery, and planting machines.
The method works as follows: a combine harvester leads at the front to harvest the rice. Two to three metres behind it, a field processing machine follows, accompanied by drones spraying straw decomposer liquid to accelerate conversion into organic matter. After that, a rice transplanter machine plants new rice once the land is ready.
"They follow one after another like a train. This shortens the turnaround time significantly — harvest then plant, harvest then plant. This system optimises land use. It has been difficult training the farmers here," he said.
The train system can save up to approximately 90 per cent of time and land processing effort compared with manual methods. For instance, a two-hectare plot can be fully processed within a single day using the train system and mechanical equipment, whereas manual labour would take up to 10 days.
"We have also conducted crop-cutting surveys on 25-square-metre plots, with average yields of 6 tonnes per plot. At maximum output, one hectare could average 9.6 tonnes. This depends on irrigation, fertilisation, and seedling quality as well," said Defransisco.
The harvest for this period is estimated to reach approximately 3.35 million tonnes of milled dry grain (GKG). This figure represents an increase of 413,698 tonnes of GKG, or roughly 14 per cent, from the same period in 2025. The estimate is based on the area sample framework (KSA) calculations by the Central Java branch of Statistics Indonesia (BPS).
Ahmad Luthfi said that Central Java's policy direction for 2026 is food self-sufficiency. The target rice planting area for the whole of Central Java from January to December 2026 is approximately 2.38 million hectares.
As of 18 February 2026, actual planting had covered 216,098 hectares. Meanwhile, Central Java's 2026 rice production target stands at 10.55 million tonnes of GKG, a 12.22 per cent increase from the 2025 realisation of 9.3 million tonnes.
"Last year in 2025 we managed to contribute 15 per cent to national production; in 2026 this must increase further," he said after inaugurating the main harvest, accompanied by Semarang Regent Ngesti Nugraha and Head of the Central Java Bureau of Logistics (Bulog) Sri Muniati.
To meet this target, Luthfi instructed the Head of the Central Java Provincial Agriculture and Livestock Service, Defransisco Dasilva Tavares, to strengthen connectivity with all 35 regencies and cities. A joint commitment with all regents and mayors was already made in January in Surakarta.
"Connectivity with the 35 regencies and cities in maintaining agricultural land, mechanisation regarding equipment, and equally important is that we support our farmer groups (Gapoktan) from seedling, fertilisation, through to post-harvest," he said.
This main harvest also introduced a mechanised harvesting system known as the "train system" (sistem sepur), which can significantly shorten the time between harvest and planting.
"Using this equipment has proven to be much faster," he said.
Head of the Central Java Provincial Agriculture and Livestock Service Defransisco Dasilva Tavares explained that the train system involves the simultaneous use of harvesting equipment, field processing machinery, and planting machines.
The method works as follows: a combine harvester leads at the front to harvest the rice. Two to three metres behind it, a field processing machine follows, accompanied by drones spraying straw decomposer liquid to accelerate conversion into organic matter. After that, a rice transplanter machine plants new rice once the land is ready.
"They follow one after another like a train. This shortens the turnaround time significantly — harvest then plant, harvest then plant. This system optimises land use. It has been difficult training the farmers here," he said.
The train system can save up to approximately 90 per cent of time and land processing effort compared with manual methods. For instance, a two-hectare plot can be fully processed within a single day using the train system and mechanical equipment, whereas manual labour would take up to 10 days.
"We have also conducted crop-cutting surveys on 25-square-metre plots, with average yields of 6 tonnes per plot. At maximum output, one hectare could average 9.6 tonnes. This depends on irrigation, fertilisation, and seedling quality as well," said Defransisco.