Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has projected a significant increase in Indonesia’s rice production. USDA estimated the rice production output to reach 34.6 million metric tons in 2025, making it the highest in Southeast Asia.
The USDA’s projection marks a sharp increase from its earlier estimate of 30 million tons. The projection places Indonesia ahead of regional producers such as Vietnam (26.5 million tons), Thailand (20.1 million tons), the Philippines (12 million tons), Cambodia (7.37 million tons), Laos (1.81 million tons), and Malaysia (1.75 million tons).
Indonesian Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman welcomed the forecast, calling it a sign of the country’s growing agricultural resilience. “According to USDA data, our production is expected to reach 34.6 million tons, a significant increase from 30 million tons, which shows an extraordinary improvement,” Amran said on Thursday, May 1, as reported by Antara.
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Amran also reported a surge in rice absorption and stockpiles at the national level. He stated that Indonesia’s rice procurement had reached 1 million tons in the past month alone, raising the total absorption for 2025 to 1.7 million tons.
“Over the last 5 to 10 years, average annual absorption was around 1.2 million tons,” said Amran. “This increase is a strong indicator of progress in our rice sector.”
Indonesia’s rice stockpile has also reached historic levels. Amran said current stocks stand at nearly 3.4 million tons, the highest in over two decades. “If everything goes smoothly, we expect to reach 4 million tons within the next 20 days,” he added. “This is our highest level in 23 years.”
The USDA’s positive outlook and Indonesia’s reported gains come amid growing concerns about food security in the region, driven by climate challenges and global trade disruptions.
The rice production forecast underscores Indonesia’s growing resilience in the face of global food security challenges, signaling a stronger national capacity to meet domestic demand and reduce dependence on imports.
(Raidi/Agung)
