PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, held back-to-back marathon meetings over the weekend—Saturday and Sunday (June 28–29, 2025)—to refine strategies for accelerating national sugar self-sufficiency and strengthening downstream development of key plantation commodities. The meetings took place at the Minister’s private residence and included top Ministry of Agriculture officials and key technical partners.
This initiative responds to directives from President Prabowo Subianto, who emphasized the urgency of downstreaming in strategic sectors, including agriculture, to boost value creation, expand job opportunities, and enhance national economic resilience.
“We have no time to waste. This is a serious step to shape the future of our agricultural industry and fast-track national self-reliance,” Amran said, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com from the Ministry’s website on Monday (June 30, 2025).
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During the meetings, Minister Amran highlighted the importance of both expanding cultivation (extensification) and industrial downstreaming for priority commodities such as sugarcane, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, coconut, and cashew.
For sugar, the government has set ambitious targets, including developing 500,000 hectares of new plantations, and constructing 10 sugar mills and 3 bioethanol plants
The goal is to achieve national sugar self-sufficiency for consumption by 2028, and to fully meet industrial and energy demand by 2030.
According to the Ministry, Indonesia’s sugar production is projected to reach 2.75 million tons this year—its highest in the past five years. Minister Amran aims to boost sugarcane productivity from 4 tons/ha to 14 tons/ha, echoing the golden era of the 1930s.
For palm oil, the government is pursuing a strategy to convert 2 million hectares of unproductive rubber plantations into oil palm. The plan also includes the construction of 20 biodiesel plants, positioning palm oil as a core element in strengthening national energy security.
“Palm oil is not just about CPO. It’s about our energy future. We want to lead in biodiesel—our potential is massive,” Amran asserted.
In addition to industrial development, the Ministry is prioritizing youth involvement. Amran is promoting a scheme that offers up to 5 hectares of plantation land for millennial farmers to engage directly in the sector.
State-owned plantation firm PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) is also tasked with playing a strategic role in providing superior seedlings and implementing precision land management.
Beyond production and value chain targets, Amran underscored job creation as a critical metric for success. One of the key performance indicators will be the number of labor days (HOK) generated over the next three years.
To ensure fast execution, the Minister gave his team a two-day deadline to finalize detailed action plans.
“If we move slowly, we’ll be left behind. But if we move fast and together, we can lead,” Amran emphasized.
With this strategy, the Ministry of Agriculture aims to increase the added value of plantation products while fast-tracking national food and energy self-sufficiency, leveraging domestic resources. This is part of the agricultural sector’s broader contribution to President Prabowo’s vision of transforming Indonesia into a globally competitive downstream economy. (P2)
