Indonesia Partners with China, Rice Production Could Double to 12 Tonnes per Hectare
Indonesia continues efforts to enhance rice productivity through government and private sector initiatives. Currently, average rice productivity in Indonesia stands at 5-6 tonnes per hectare, but with adequate research, it can be increased to 12 tonnes per hectare using the best seeds.
Recently, PT Industri Padi Nusantara (IPN) signed a cooperation agreement in the field of rice seed research and development with Hasanuddin University, alongside Senyuanda Ecological Environmental Group Co. Ltd. and Guangdong Institute of Modern Agricultural Equipment, at the Kunlun Hotel in Beijing, China, on 8 April 2026.
“This cooperation will be funded by PT IPN to support the provision of superior rice seeds that produce at least 12 tonnes per hectare per harvest, on 5,000 hectares of rice fields owned by PT Silampari Agro Nusantara (SAN), a subsidiary of PT IPN, in Musi Rawas Regency, South Sumatra,” said IPN President Director Andi Nursyam Halid in his official statement on Monday (13/4/2026).
The agricultural land owned by PT SAN in Tulang Bawang Regency, Lampung, covering 5,000 hectares, and Merauke Regency, Papua, covering 10,000 hectares, will be cultivated using the superior rice seeds from the aforementioned cooperation.
“Various research facilities provided by PT IPN, a subsidiary of PT Nusantara Halid, and Hasanuddin University will be facilitated by PT Grand Seleron Investama, a business partner of PT Nusantara Halid,” he said.
The cooperation agreement was signed by IPN President Director Andi Nursyam Halid, Hasanuddin University Rector Prof. Dr. Jamaluddin Jompa, and Dr. Jinshi Jia, Director of Senyuanda Ecological Environmental Group Co. Ltd., who also represented Guangdong Institute of Modern Agricultural Equipment.
The signing was witnessed by Prof. Dr (HC) Nurdin Halid as Founder of PT Nusantara Halid, Andi Muhammad Zunnun Nurdin Halid (IPN Main Commissioner), Nani Rahayu (Commissioner of PT Nusantara Mineral Sukses Abadi), Andi Al Bisri Nurdin Halid (Commissioner of PT Nusantara Mineral Sukses Abadi), Prof. Dr. Rismaneswati (Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Hasanuddin University), and Prof. Dr. Jafar Hafsah.
PT IPN also signed a financing agreement for breeding equipment with Senyuanda Ecological Environmental Group Co. Ltd. and Guangdong Hongke Agriculture Machinery R&D Co. Ltd. Various agricultural equipment required, from land processing to harvesting, involves a total investment of €35,000,000.
“All the equipment will be sent to the breeding and rice cultivation sites of PT SAN in Musi Rawas Regency. Meanwhile, the Rice Mill or rice milling facility will soon be built in Tulang Bawang Regency, Lampung, with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year for the first phase, which will subsequently be increased to 400,000 tonnes per year,” said Andi Nursyam Halid.
He stated that the rice milling factory will serve as a centre for processing paddy from farmers in Tulang Bawang and surrounding areas located in the Integrated Industrial Zone. Previously, IPN signed an MoU with the Lampung Provincial Government and Tulang Bawang Regency Government to build an integrated industrial zone covering 1,400 hectares, located near the 5,000-hectare rice cultivation land there.
The day before, the delegation visited seed development facilities, a rice milling equipment factory, and a rice milling site with a capacity of 160,000 tonnes per year in Yangzhou Regency, Jiangsu Province, China. This visit served as a study tour for research and development of superior rice seeds in Indonesia, with all laboratory facilities to be built by PT IPN in Musi Rawas, Tulang Bawang, and Merauke.
Also present were Abdul Rahman Zainuddin (IPN Operations Director), Andi M. Rifki Naufal (IPN Director), Rodi Wijaya (Director of PT Silampari Agro Nusantara, IPN subsidiary), Andi M. Natsir Halid, Mardianto. The delegation from Hasanuddin University’s Rice Breeding and Cultivation Expert Team included Prof. Dr. Rinaldi Sjahril, Prof. Dr. Yunus Musa, Dr. M. Fuad Anhori. They conducted the study tour for research purposes.