This was revealed by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during a cabinet meeting in Jakarta on Monday.
He said Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen raised the issue in a recent discussion with Indonesia’s Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian.
“Our Cambodian counterpart acknowledged our abundant rice production,” Prabowo said. “They noted that this situation would affect their market because Indonesia will no longer import from them.”
Prabowo used the occasion to highlight the government’s recent agricultural achievements, particularly the sharp rise in rice and corn production.
He cited South Sumatra as an example, noting that the province, typically producing around 3 million tons of rice annually, is expected to reach 4 million tons this year.
He described the 25 percent increase as evidence of Indonesia’s success in managing the global food crisis.
Prabowo also said that the country's rice reserves are at an all-time high, underscoring the strength of the government’s food security strategy.
“This achievement is not a coincidence,” he emphasized. “It is the result of careful planning and hard work at all levels of government.”
He praised coordination among national and regional agencies in addressing threats posed by El Niño and La Niña to agriculture.
Prabowo added that effective use of natural resources, such as the Brantas, Bengawan Solo, and Citarum rivers for irrigation, has helped mitigate drought impacts.
A key factor in this effort, he said, is the widespread deployment of water pumps.
“The government has provided tens of thousands of pumps to distribute water from major rivers to various regions,” he said.
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Translator: Mentari Dwi G, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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