Indonesia says rice reserves reach a record 4.8 million tonnes
Indonesia says its government rice reserves have climbed to a record 4.8 million tonnes. Officials link the increase to stronger production, expanded rice area and a larger procurement role for Bulog.
Indonesia says its government rice reserves have reached around 4.8 million tonnes as of April 2026, the highest level on record. The figure was confirmed after President Prabowo Subianto and Deputy Agriculture Minister Sudaryono carried out a surprise inspection at a Bulog warehouse complex in Magelang, Central Java.
Sudaryono said the president wanted to verify conditions directly rather than rely only on written reports. He said the visit was intended to make sure food stocks were genuinely adequate and ready for public distribution if needed, as the government tries to protect national food security from wider geopolitical risks and potential supply disruption.
According to the deputy minister, the Magelang warehouse complex can hold up to 7,000 tonnes of rice and is already operating at full capacity. He added that the same pattern is visible at other Bulog facilities in different regions, including Makassar and Bone in South Sulawesi. For the government, that points to broad stock availability rather than a one-site anomaly.
Officials tied the record reserve level to stronger production over the past year. Sudaryono said Indonesia’s 2025 rice output rose by 13.29 per cent after rice field expansion and government support measures. He also said total rice supply is projected to reach about 28 million tonnes when reserves are combined with an estimated 12 million tonnes already in circulation and another 12 million tonnes expected from upcoming harvests.
He described that total as equal to roughly 11 months of supply. To reinforce the buffer further, the government has assigned Bulog to absorb at least 4 million tonnes of domestic rice in 2026, up from 3 million tonnes last year. That means the state is using procurement policy not only to build stocks but also to shape the domestic grain market more actively.
Financing has also been expanded. Sudaryono said the government allocated Rp16.5 trillion, nearly US$1 billion, in 2025 to support Bulog’s role. He added that pricing policies are being designed to protect both farmers and consumers. In practice, the record reserve level gives Jakarta more room to stabilise supply and prices while presenting food security as a central policy priority.