Top 10 Corn-Producing Provinces: Java vs Eastern Indonesia
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Indonesia’s maize production is beginning to strengthen as it enters the second quarter of 2026.
The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded production of dry shelled maize at 14% moisture content (JPK-KA14) in May 2026 at 1.18 million tonnes, up 19.79% compared with May last year. The harvested area in the same month also increased to 0.21 million hectares, or a 22.04% rise year on year.
The increase in May marked a turning point after the harvest had been lower in March and April.
However, viewed cumulatively, this recovery has yet to change the picture for the full year. Up to August 2026, the national harvested area is estimated to reach 1.97 million hectares, a marginal decline of 0.49% compared with the same period last year. By contrast, production is estimated to hold at 11.43 million tonnes, or an increase of roughly 2,358 tonnes compared with January–August 2025.
The national harvest has remained relatively secure despite a slight contraction in harvested area. In other words, additional production in several regions has been able to offset declines elsewhere.
BPS also expects the harvest season to continue. For the June–August 2026 period, the potential harvested area is estimated at 0.72 million hectares, with potential production of 4.23 million tonnes of JPK-KA14.
This figure is slightly lower than the potential for the same period a year earlier, meaning harvest realisation in the coming months will determine the direction of maize production throughout 2026.
East Java remains the national maize hub
The map of Indonesian maize production is still dominated by the island of Java. East Java retains its position as the largest producer, with estimated production of 2.81 million tonnes of JPK-KA14 for January–August 2026. That figure represents nearly a quarter of national production.
The next positions are held by Central Java at 1.60 million tonnes, Lampung at 1.14 million tonnes, South Sulawesi at 1.04 million tonnes, and North Sumatra at 1.03 million tonnes. These five provinces form the backbone of the national maize supply.
Although still leading, East Java and Central Java are experiencing a correction compared with last year. East Java’s production fell by about 211.8 thousand tonnes, whilst Central Java declined by 251.6 thousand tonnes.
Lampung is moving in the opposite direction. The province’s production increased by 247.5 thousand tonnes, the largest absolute rise in Indonesia. North Sumatra also recorded an addition of nearly 80 thousand tonnes, whilst South Sulawesi rose by around 16.5 thousand tonnes.
Harvested areas remain concentrated
A similar picture emerges on the harvested area side. East Java has the largest harvest area at 490,549 hectares, followed by Central Java at 278,074 hectares, Lampung at 174,762 hectares, South Sulawesi at 170,733 hectares, and North Sumatra at 159,994 hectares.
However, there is an interesting shift. East Java’s harvested area fell by almost 39.6 thousand hectares compared with last year, and Central Java’s shrank by 38.8 thousand hectares. On the other hand, Lampung actually added 36.7 thousand hectares of harvest area, the largest of any province. South Sumatra and West Java also recorded increases in harvested area, albeit on a smaller scale.
These changes suggest that production growth is beginning to shift beyond the traditional centres. Lampung is the clearest example, as its expansion in harvested area has gone hand in hand with a surge in output.
During January–May 2026, 86.51% of the maize harvested area came from shelled maize harvests. That proportion has risen from 84.24% in the same period last year, whilst the harvested area for green maize and young harvests has declined.
This composition points to an increasing share of crops being harvested through to the shelled stage, the form that serves as the principal raw material for the livestock feed industry.