Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan said Indonesia’s decision to stop importing rice has significantly contributed to the decline in global rice prices, reflecting the country’s growing influence on the international market.

“Indonesia used to be the world’s largest rice buyer. When we stopped buying, global prices fell from around 650 US dollars per ton to below 400,” he said on Tuesday (16/12/2025), as reported by antaranews.com.

He explained that higher domestic production has eliminated the need for imports. In 2024, Indonesia imported 4.5 million tons of rice, but in 2025 it recorded a production surplus of 4.7 million tons, with Bulog stock reaching 3.7 million tons.

Data from the Coordinating Ministry  of Food Affairs show rice production reached 34.77 million tons in 2025, up 13.54 percent year on year. Minister Zulkifli  said regulatory simplification, particularly in subsidized fertilizer distribution, played a key role in boosting output and supporting food self-sufficiency.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)