December 18, 2024

Indonesia plans to develop 1 million hectares for corn cultivation

Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture has announced plans to develop over 1 million hectares of new land for corn cultivation as part of its efforts to meet domestic demand and reduce reliance on imports.

The country's Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono shared the initiative following a coordination meeting on corn development. He emphasised that the additional land is essential for achieving food self-sufficiency and supporting the country's broader agricultural goals.

The government aims to accelerate food production and reduce the quantity of imported corn by expanding cultivation. Sudaryono reassured that the development of new land for corn would not interfere with the existing upland rice production quota. He highlighted corn's resilience and adaptability, which allow for intercropping strategies that utilise land efficiently.

During the meeting, the ministry identified 1.2 million hectares of potential land for corn cultivation. Sudaryono stated that the government plans to conduct thorough evaluations to confirm the viability of the proposed areas.

"We will identify in detail the locations of the land, the coordinate points, and the size of the effective area for planting corn," he said.

According to data from Statistics Indonesia, the corn harvest area in the country reached 2.49 million hectares in 2023. The new expansion is expected to complement existing efforts to meet growing demand.

On December 12, Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan announced that Indonesia will cease importing rice, sugar, corn, and table salt by 2025. He expressed optimism that the government's food self-sufficiency programme would soon be realised, enabling the country to achieve food sovereignty.

-      Antara