Tulungagung strengthens position as regional food granary

Tulungagung, East Java - The Tulungagung Regency Government has confirmed that rice production for the 2026 planting season will remain positive with a rice surplus of nearly 50,000 tonnes, reinforcing the region’s role as a food security buffer for East Java.

Acting Regent Ahmad Baharudin stated that this achievement demonstrates the local agricultural sector’s ability to maintain productivity despite challenges faced by farmers.

“This year we have again achieved a surplus. When added to last year’s surplus of 94,638.08 tonnes, the region’s food reserves are in a very secure state,” Baharudin said while attending the Labuh Massal tradition in Dukuh Village, Tulungagung, on Monday.

Government data shows rice production up to April 2026 reached 138,688.59 tonnes of dry paddy from approximately 19,841 hectares of land.

He added that the surplus is a key indicator of regional food security and reflects the effectiveness of government agricultural support programmes.

The local government has also noted that several issues previously complained about by farmers, particularly fertilizer availability, which was a production constraint, are gradually being resolved.

However, further improvements in agricultural productivity still require adequate infrastructure support, including irrigation network repairs and modernisation of farming equipment to reduce production costs.