No Imports for Rice, Salt, Sugar and Corn in 2025: Prabowo

TheIndonesia.co - President Prabowo Subianto, in a meeting held on Monday, instructed his ministers to halt the importation of rice, salt, consumable sugar, and corn in 2025, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said.

Speaking to the press after the meeting at the State Palace, Hasan stated that no import quotas would be set for these commodities in 2025. During the same meeting, the president also decided to raise the government's purchasing price (HPP) for unhusked rice from Rp6,000 (around US$0.37) to Rp6,500 (around US$0.40).

The benchmark purchase price (HAP) for corn was also increased from Rp5,000 (around US$0.31) to Rp5,500 (around US$0.34).

Hasan noted that this decision followed an extensive discussion during the meeting and also highlighted a historic decision in which the government would purchase all unhusked rice, rice, and corn produced by farmers. "Unhusked rice and corn produced by farmers will be accommodated at the prices set by the government," he affirmed, as quoted by Antara.

He remarked that the farmers' harvests would be stored in warehouses owned by the state-run logistics company Bulog, primary cooperatives, and warehouses implementing a warehouse receipt system.

President Prabowo chaired a meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday to discuss the government's food security programs. The meeting lasted approximately two hours.

Under President Prabowo's leadership, the government aims to achieve food self-sufficiency as one of its key objectives.

Earlier, in his inaugural speech on October 20, 2024, Prabowo expressed optimism that Indonesia would achieve food self-sufficiency within four to five years.