Ministry of Agriculture Prepares 5.9 Billion Sugarcane Seeds to Accelerate Sugar Self-Sufficiency
The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) continues to accelerate national sugar self-sufficiency efforts by strengthening smallholder sugarcane development. By 2026, the government targets distributing 5.9 billion sugarcane buds to develop plantation areas covering 99,547 hectares across 10 provinces and 74 districts throughout Indonesia. This initiative forms part of a strategy to strengthen sugarcane production areas whilst boosting productivity in smallholder sugarcane plantations to sustainably meet national sugar demand.
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasised that strengthening the sugarcane commodity constitutes a government priority in achieving sugar self-sufficiency. According to him, the government continues undertaking comprehensive improvements from upstream to downstream production to ensure the national sugar production system grows stronger.
“We are making improvements from upstream to downstream, starting with seeds, planting patterns, downstream processing systems, and marketing aspects. The objective is straightforward—farmers must gain profits,” Amran stated in a press release received on Thursday (12 March).
Amran also targeted national sugar production to increase to approximately 3 million tons by 2026, coinciding with the expansion and optimisation of national sugarcane land as part of efforts to strengthen Indonesia’s food independence.
This acceleration effort previously commenced in 2025. Throughout that year, the Directorate General of Estate Crops under Kementan distributed 1.925760 million sugarcane buds to farmers, equivalent to developing plantation areas of approximately 32,096 hectares assuming a requirement of around 60,000 buds per hectare. The programme operated in 7 provinces and 56 districts.
Abdul Roni Angkat, Acting Director General of Estate Crops, explained that the availability of superior seeds constitutes an important foundation for improving sugarcane productivity and sugar content at the farmer level.
“Seeds represent the primary foundation in sugarcane cultivation. Through this seed assistance programme, the government wishes to ensure farmers obtain access to superior seeds so that sugarcane productivity and sugar content can increase,” Roni stated.
He added that the Directorate General of Estate Crops will continue strengthening coordination with regional governments, seed producers, and farmers to ensure timely and targeted seed distribution.
With strengthened seeds and expanded smallholder sugarcane development, the government remains optimistic that national sugar production will continue rising. Beyond strengthening domestic sugar supply, this programme is expected to enhance farmer prosperity whilst reducing Indonesia’s sugar import dependency.
This potential represents one of Indonesia’s strengths in facing an uncertain global situation and crisis.