Indonesia aims to increase sugar production in 2024 to 2.59 million metric tonnes, driven by a larger planting area following last year’s weak sugarcane harvest, as stated by the agriculture ministry on Thursday.
According to data from the Indonesian Sugar Association (AGI), last year white sugar output decreased by 4 per cent to 2.3 million tonnes due to an extended dry season, .
At the beginning of this year, white sugar stocks for household consumption amounted to 1.14 million tonnes, equivalent to less than five months of consumption.
The agriculture ministry stated that the target reflects the country’s goal of achieving self-sufficiency by 2028 for household consumption and by 2030 for industrial use.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Indonesia is currently the world’s largest sugar importer.
“A critical aspect of sugar self-sufficiency is the provision of new land. We have mapped and conducted ground checks for potential sugarcane plantations,” said Agriculture Ministry official Muhammad Rizal Ismail in a statement.
The harvested area for this year is projected to be 512,813 hectares (1.27 million acres), slightly up from the 504,756 hectares harvested in 2023, according to the AGI.
The ministry announced that the sugar milling season commenced from the second week of May, indicating that stocks should soon be replenished.
