Jakarta. Indonesia plans to introduce gasoline blended with 20% bioethanol (E20) within the next few years and will accelerate the rejuvenation of the country's sugarcane plantations to secure feedstock supplies, President Prabowo Subianto said on Friday.

Speaking at a nationwide harvest event in Malang, East Java, Prabowo said Indonesia aims to follow countries such as India, which has implemented E20, and Brazil, where ethanol-blended fuel has become widely adopted.

"India has reached E20 and Brazil has E100. Indonesia can do it too," Prabowo said.

Indonesia is currently preparing to introduce E10 gasoline — containing 10% ethanol — before moving to E20 as part of its broader energy transition strategy.

To support the program, Prabowo approved the construction of at least 30 bioethanol plants, with the possibility of expanding the number to 50.

"We currently have only one bioethanol plant. I have decided that we will build at least 30 plants, and if necessary, up to 50," he said.

The expansion is intended to ensure sufficient production of molasses, a sugarcane byproduct used as the primary feedstock for bioethanol.

The government will also launch a nationwide sugarcane replanting program after Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman reported that the country's plantations have gone 12 years without significant rejuvenation.

Prabowo said the government plans to replant at least 100,000 hectares of sugarcane annually. While the official program targets completion within four years, Amran has pledged to finish the effort in just two years.

The president said modernizing sugarcane plantations would not only support bioethanol production but also accelerate Indonesia's drive toward sugar self-sufficiency, complementing the government's broader goals of achieving food, energy, and water security.

Prabowo said Indonesia has already achieved its food self-sufficiency target, particularly in rice production, and is now focusing on energy independence while expanding access to clean water.

Earlier, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia outlined a phased roadmap for ethanol blending, with E5 scheduled to begin in July 2026, followed by E10 in 2027 and full E20 implementation targeted for 2028–2029.

The president made the announcement during a nationwide harvest event involving the Indonesian Military (TNI), which was held simultaneously at 43 locations across the country to strengthen national food security.

The military has been assisting farmers in cultivating strategic commodities, including sugarcane, rice, and soybeans. According to the government, the Air Force has supported sugarcane cultivation on more than 236,000 hectares, with an estimated output of 18.39 million tons of cane, equivalent to 1.36 million tons of sugar, representing about 45% of Indonesia's 2026 production target.

Prabowo also reiterated his administration's commitment to cracking down on illegal activities, including smuggling, illegal mining, illegal plantations, illegal fishing, and illicit trade practices, saying stronger law enforcement is essential to protecting national resources and supporting economic development.

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