Indonesia eyes sugar self-sufficiency, end to white sugar imports

hartono · Sep 2, 2026

Indonesia eyes sugar self-sufficiency, end to white sugar imports

Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman visits the Sugar Group Companies (SGC) sugarcane plantation in Tulang Bawang Regency, Lampung. (ANTARA/HO-SGC)

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman expressed optimism about the growth of national sugar production, saying strategic government support would boost domestic sugarcane yields and help reduce Indonesia’s reliance on white sugar imports.

“Hopefully, we will not need to import white sugar,” Amran said during a working visit to the Sugar Group Companies (SGC) sugarcane plantation in Tulang Bawang District, Lampung.

In a statement issued Tuesday (September 1), Amran highlighted that approximately 86 percent of smallholder sugarcane plasma plantations require crop replacement to restore optimal yields.

To address the issue, President Prabowo Subianto has directed the allocation of government funds to assist farmers with land clearing and replanting programs.

“The President ordered us to be given a budget to dismantle and replant these smallholder plasma plantations,” Amran said.

To achieve the national target of 3 million metric tons of sugar, the Agriculture Ministry is pushing for land optimization and technical improvements, with an ambitious target of producing 100 tons of sugarcane per hectare.

During his visit to SGC’s facilities, Amran commended the private sector’s role in supporting rural development and economic stability through large-scale agricultural operations.

“Companies like SGC play a vital role, employing roughly 40,000 workers and contributing directly to the country’s agricultural development,” Amran said.

He emphasized that close collaboration among the central government, private sugar companies, and smallholder farmers remains essential to strengthening domestic supply chains and achieving national sugar self-sufficiency.