Indonesia to stop importing corn, rice and sugar in 2026

Indonesia will not import strategic food staples such as corn, rice and sugar for consumption in 2026, as stocks carried over from this year remain sufficient to meet national demand, the National Food Agency (Bapanas) said.

Deputy Minister for Food Availability and Stabilization I Gusti Ketut Astawa said the country’s food security outlook for 2026 is secure and self-sufficient, allowing the government to adhere to a zero-import policy for key commodities. “Collectively and by consensus, the government has decided that there is no need to import rice, sugar for consumption and feed corn in 2026. National stocks and production are already strong and sufficient to meet population consumption,” Ketut said.

Bapanas data shows rice stocks at the beginning of 2026 will be about 12.5 million tonnes, including government reserves. Taking into account the average monthly consumption, this will cover almost five months of demand. Together with the forecasted rice production of 34.7 million tons, stocks will increase to 16.2 million tons by the end of the year.

The situation is similar with corn: the initial stocks of 4.5 million tons will last for three months, and with a production of 18 million tons, Indonesia even plans to resume corn exports. For sugar, the initial stocks will provide up to six months of consumption without imports, with a production of 2.7-3 million tons.

Bapanas head and Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that the zero-import policy is a support for domestic producers. “Our farmers and livestock farmers should not suffer losses. They should prosper. The fruits of their hard work should meet the needs of the Indonesian people,” Amran said. The government is optimistic that self-sufficiency in 2026 will not only ensure national supplies but also open up opportunities for rice and corn exports.

Tags: rice, sugar, imports, corn, Indonesia