National Food Agency states rice absorption reaches 1.3 million tonnes, strengthening government rice reserves

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Head of the National Food Agency (Kabapanas), who is also the Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, stated that the realisation of rice absorption from domestic production currently stands at 1.3 million tonnes, which will strengthen the government’s rice reserves (CBP). “Insha’Allah, the food sector is secure. Our current absorption is 1.3 million tonnes (equivalent to rice). If we add just one million tonnes for this month (April), it means (we can reach) 2.3 million tonnes,” said Amran during his statement in Jakarta on Wednesday. The government is optimistic about being better prepared to face the dry season in 2026. The government’s food reserve level (CPP) is continuously strengthened by absorbing domestic harvest production. The absorption of 1.3 million tonnes equivalent to rice was absorbed during the January-March 2026 period. Amran explained that the government, together with Perum Bulog, will continue to accelerate the rice absorption rate, even though the dry season is predicted to start in April. Bapanas recorded that the realisation of rice equivalent absorption sourced from domestic production has reached 1.39 million tonnes. The achievement in the first quarter of this year even far exceeds the realisation from January to March in previous years. The rice equivalent absorption realisation in the first quarter of 2020 (January-March period) reached 90.1 thousand tonnes. Then, in the same period in 2021, it increased to 234.6 thousand tonnes. Meanwhile, the realisation for January-March 2022 dropped again to 94.3 thousand tonnes, even dropping drastically in the same period in 2023, recorded at 35 thousand tonnes. However, it increased significantly in the January-March 2025 period, reaching 719.3 thousand tonnes. With this very progressive realisation of domestic rice production absorption, the CBP has been strengthened. The government is confident in being better prepared to address the impacts of the approaching dry season. “In terms of stock, (government rice reserves) today are at the highest level of 4.3 million tonnes. Next month, it is estimated to be over 5 million tonnes, meaning it’s secure. So, our preparation is far better than before,” said Amran. The government targets Perum Bulog to absorb 4 million tonnes of rice equivalent in 2026 to strengthen the CBP and maintain self-sufficiency in that commodity, which has been achieved since the end of 2025. That target is an increase compared to the 2025 absorption target of 3 million tonnes.