Jakarta. The government's decision to ban imports of rice, corn, sugar, and salt was lauded by an analyst, who said Indonesia has abundant resources for these four commodities.

Ragimun, lead economic and finance researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), said the policy can be implemented immediately with confidence because of the high level of availability for those commodities.

He predicted that domestic demands for rice and corn could be met during the next harvest season. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) indicated that national rice production reached 30.34 million tons last year from 10.05 million hectares of paddy fields.

Annual dry corn production stood at 15.21 million tons according to the latest data in 2023.

He also noted that to meet the demand for sugar and salt in the industrial sector, a more specific and gradual strategy needs to be implemented, as the specifications required by industries differ from those for household consumption. In addition, Ragimun suggested that regulations related to the distribution of these four food commodities should be tightened to support the acceleration and optimization of Indonesia's food self-sufficiency program.

“The strategy for fulfilling the industrial needs, particularly for salt and sugar, must be implemented gradually,” he explained.

Previously, Chief Food Security Minister Zulkifli Hasan announced that the government would impose an import ban on rice, corn, sugar, and salt starting in 2025. He said the policy aims to accelerate food self-sufficiency programs through strategic steps such as farmer counseling, financial support, regulatory revisions, provision of superior seeds, and strengthening supply chains.