Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto has ordered a halt to corn imports by 2026 as Indonesia moves toward achieving food self-sufficiency. 

“I’ve received assurances from two of Indonesia’s key figures, the Agriculture Minister and the National Police Chief, that by 2026, Indonesia will no longer import corn,” Prabowo said in remarks broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel on Thursday.

The president cited a 48 percent year-on-year increase in national corn production during the first quarter of 2025. Yields have risen significantly, with one hectare of land now producing between 6 to 8 tons of corn, up from just 4 tons previously.

Prabowo believes that corn self-sufficiency could even be achieved earlier than projected. “With high-quality seed varieties and organic fertilizers, our goal may be realized in just one year, not two or three. This is a major breakthrough,” he said.

He also urged innovation in corn-based product diversification, highlighting processed goods such as corn chips and corn rice as healthier alternatives with higher added value.

In addition to boosting productivity, Prabowo stressed the importance of improving farmer welfare. “As food producers, our farmers must be able to live well. We need to minimize input costs through efficient interventions such as machinery, technology, seeds, and biofertilizers,” he added.

Indonesia’s corn imports reached 1.3 million tons between January and November 2024, mainly from Argentina and Brazil. This marked a significant increase from 892,080 tons during the same period in 2023,