President Prabowo Subianto has accelerated the national sugar self-sufficiency target from four years to two years by accelerating the sugarcane rejuvenation program covering 100,000 hectares per year. This acceleration will be accompanied by modernization of cultivation and increased productivity to increase national sugar production. Prabowo said Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman had previously reported that the annual sugarcane rejuvenation program, covering 100,000 hectares, was expected to achieve sugar self-sufficiency within four years. However, after discussions, the government decided to accelerate the target to two years. "Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture reported to me that our current program is 100,000 hectares per year. This will be achieved in four years. But after I asked him again, he boldly and bravely said, 'Sir, we can do it in two years,'" Prabowo said, as quoted on Tuesday (July 21, 2026). According to Prabowo, accelerating sugar self-sufficiency is part of the government's strategy to strengthen independence in the food sector. He said that after achieving rice self-sufficiency, the government is now focusing on other strategic commodities, while also strengthening energy and water resource security. READ ALSO The Food and Beverage Industry's Dilemma: Reducing Sugar and Salt in Nutri Level Implementation SGN Optimistic Sugar Self-Sufficiency Can Be Achieved Before the 2028 Target Prabowo Attends Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Grand Harvest, Sugar Production Aims for 45% of National Target "We have achieved our target of food self-sufficiency. We are now on our way to energy self-sufficiency. We are pioneering water self-sufficiency, so that all our people have access to clean water and water for crops," he said. Prabowo also appreciated the performance of ministries, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), regional governments, and farmers, who were deemed capable of accelerating the implementation of various national strategic programs. According to him, this acceleration was carried out so that the community could immediately feel the benefits of development while reducing Indonesia's dependence on imports of strategic commodities. "We are pursuing our goals because the people have for too long endured a life that is not worthy of a large and wealthy nation like Indonesia. We will prove to the world that the Indonesian nation is rising from its own strength," he said. Responding to the directive, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman stated his readiness to accelerate the sugarcane rejuvenation program through cultivation modernization, the use of superior seeds, agricultural mechanization, and strengthening partnerships with farmers and the sugar industry. "We are ready to carry out the President's directives. All levels of the Ministry of Agriculture will work optimally with regional governments, state-owned enterprises, the business community, and farmers to achieve the target of sugar self-sufficiency within two years," Amran said. According to Amran, the acceleration of the program is expected to increase national sugar production, reduce dependence on imports, and improve the welfare of sugarcane farmers.