Food Agency: El Nino Has Not Yet Significantly Impacted Agriculture
The National Food Agency has stated that the prolonged El Nino dry season has not yet had a significant impact on agriculture in Indonesia. The agency is also actively coordinating with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to monitor weather changes.
“The weather so far has been quite normal, so it has not affected crops. Thus, increased production can still be achieved,” said the agency’s Principal Secretary, Sarwo Edhy, in a written statement on Friday, 26 June 2026.
Sarwo said the National Food Agency has also been socialising with farmers to follow the government’s recommended planting patterns.
To anticipate the impact of El Nino on food security, Sarwo stated that the government has strengthened government food reserves, particularly rice stocks. This includes reinforcing regional government food reserves managed by each local administration.
As of June, the Food Balance Sheet projection processed by the National Food Agency estimates total rice production for the first half of this year at 19.2 million tonnes. According to Sarwo, this figure still exceeds the total national rice consumption requirement for January to June, which is estimated at 15.4 million tonnes.
Sarwo said that most of the projected rice surplus of 3.7 million tonnes has been converted into government reserves through procurement by Bulog. Since the beginning of the year until 26 June, Bulog has absorbed the equivalent of 3.2 million tonnes of rice.
Meanwhile, the Food Balance Sheet projection in early June estimates rice stocks until the end of the year at 16.24 million tonnes. This figure comes from initial stocks in 2026 of 12.54 million tonnes, plus projected annual production of 34.76 million tonnes, minus annual consumption needs of 31.1 million tonnes.
With the year-end rice balance projected at 16.24 million tonnes, the National Food Agency is optimistic it can still meet national consumption needs through the first five months of 2027.