Govt Assures Food Supplies Remain Secure Through 2026 Amid Drought Threat

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian government remains optimistic that the country’s food supply will remain secure through the end of 2026 despite the threat of drought affecting several parts of the country. Rice stocks and supplies of several strategic food commodities are considered sufficient and secure through the end of the year.

Acting Director General of Plantations at the Ministry of Agriculture, Heru Tri Widarto, said supplies of refined sugar for domestic consumption, large chilies, bird’s eye chilies, corn, chicken meat, eggs, and shallots are also sufficient and secure.

“We remain optimistic that food production will remain secure through the end of the year. Not only rice, but also sugar for consumption, large chilies, bird’s eye chilies, corn, chicken meat, eggs, and shallots are all sufficient and secure,” Heru said during a press conference on forest and land fire management at the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) office in Jakarta on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, stocks of garlic, soybeans, and beef and buffalo meat are also considered sufficient and secure through the end of the year. Meanwhile, standing crops, or rice that has yet to be harvested, amount to 3.8 million tons of paddy, equivalent to around 10 million tons of rice. Rice stocks held by the food and beverage industry, hotels, restaurants, cafes, and households are also estimated at around 10 million tons.

As of September 14, 2026, state-owned Food Logistics Agency recorded government rice reserves at 4.69 million tons. Heru said these reserves, together with rice production and standing crops, would help maintain national rice supplies amid the threat of drought.

To mitigate the impact of drought, the government is mapping areas at risk, implementing early warning systems, optimizing irrigation water management, accelerating planting, and adjusting planting patterns. The government is also distributing agricultural machinery and equipment, as well as thousands of water pumps, to support production and irrigation in areas facing water shortages.

The Ministry of Agriculture is also coordinating with the BNPB to encourage rainfall in areas experiencing severe dryness through weather modification operations (OMC), if necessary. The government is also optimizing pump-based irrigation, piped irrigation, water pumps, as well as newly developed rice fields and optimized agricultural land that is ready for planting.

“And amid the current drought, this provides assurance that our food supply is sufficient, so there is no need to worry,” Heru said.