Indonesia’s rice harvest may create a record for second straight year, curbing the need for the country to import the grain
According to an estimate of UN body FAO, the paddy crop is likely to amount to 72.1mn metric tonnes in 2013, 4.4 per cent higher than last year’s record 62.64mn metric tonnes, the UN’s Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported.
Indonesian grain imports that began on 1 April 2013 for 2013-2014 season may fall to 8.5mn metric tonnes from 8.9mn metric tonnes in the same period last year, the FAO said.
The harvest is expected to climb even after Indonesia witnessed excess rain in December and March, which caused flood damage in some areas.
Corn production is likely to be about 17.23mn metric tonnes, similar to the record 17.2mn metric tonnes harvested last year.
FAO said, “The anticipated increase is mainly attributed to diverse initiatives launched by the government in order to achieve self-sufficiency target, as well as the increase in crop plantation area.”
