May 30, 2011

Surplus corn production in Indonesia seen at 2.6 million tonnes

The Indonesian Agriculture Ministry predicts that the country's corn production surplus in 2011 will reach 2.6 million tonnes, a senior official said.

Director General for Food Crops at the Agriculture Ministry, Udhoro Kasih Anggoro, said on Thursday (May 26) that the prediction was based on the forecast I figure of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) for 2011.

Based on the BPS forecast I figure, the country's corn production this year was estimated at 19.7 million tonnes of dry corn.

"The need for corn is about 13.2 million tonnes of hulled dry corn with a value depreciation of about 7-8%. This would leave a stock of 2.6 million tonnes of dry corn," he said.

He said that the people's need for corn continued to increase proportionately with the rise in population and their per capita income.

Corn plantation is being focused in Gorontalo province. The province is being developed as a corn-producing center. For this purpose, Gorontalo has also been selected to host the World Corn Conference (WMC) in 2012.

Gorontalo Governor, Gusnar Ismail, said recently that the conference would be held in Gorontalo due to its success in developing corn over the last nine years.

With this conference, Gorontalo which has chosen corn as its branding is expected to gain more progress and meet the world market.