Rice Reserves Secure for 324 Days, but Ministry of Agriculture Budget Remains for Only Two Weeks

Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman reported to President Prabowo Subianto during a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace on Friday (13 March 2026) that national rice reserves are sufficient to meet demand for the next 324 days.

“Today’s stocks stand at 4 million tonnes and are estimated to reach 5 million tonnes next month—this is sufficient to last 324 days until the end of the year,” Sulaiman told the President.

Sulaiman stated that current rice stocks have reached approximately 4 million tonnes, expected to increase to 5 million tonnes in the following month. These reserves are considered adequate to fulfil national requirements until the end of the year.

However, Sulaiman raised concerns about budgetary constraints, informing Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa: “The issue is that the budget only lasts for two weeks—if possible, please release the supplementary budget that was previously agreed upon.”

The request was directed to the Finance Minister to urgently disburse the loan budget that had been previously agreed upon.

Sulaiman also used the opportunity to report on the agriculture sector’s performance. He noted that the sector’s export performance has improved, with agricultural exports increasing by 28 per cent. Growth also occurred in crude palm oil (CPO) exports, with an additional 6 million tonnes recorded.

“We held a meeting with Indonesian palm oil entrepreneurs’ associations yesterday, and Pak Bahlil (Energy and Mineral Resources Minister) reported an additional 6 million tonnes, bringing our total agricultural exports up by 28 per cent,” he explained.