The government is making significant strides in its pursuit of national sugar self-sufficiency and the promotion of bioethanol as a renewable energy source. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has unveiled a comprehensive roadmap to advance this policy, with plans to allocate an additional 700,000 hectares of land for sugarcane plantations.
This strategic vision is enshrined in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 40/2023, which focuses on accelerating national sugar self-sufficiency and facilitating the provision of bioethanol as a sustainable biofuel. The goal is to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar production for domestic consumption no later than 2028, while also meeting the industrial demand and increasing bioethanol output by 2030.
The regulation came into effect on June 16, 2023, and outlines various measures to ensure the successful implementation of the plan. This includes the utilization of plantation land, farmers’ sugarcane fields, and forest areas for expanding sugarcane cultivation. Forest land will be allocated through reclassification, forest usage permits, and the adoption of social forestry and multi-purpose systems.
According to Article 3, Paragraph 2 of the regulation, “An additional 700,000 hectares of sugarcane plantation land will be acquired from plantation areas, farmers’ sugarcane fields, and forest areas.” This highlights the government’s commitment to expanding the cultivation of sugarcane and boosting the overall production capacity.
President Jokowi aims not only to increase the land area dedicated to sugarcane plantations but also to enhance productivity. The target is to achieve a significant yield of 93 tons per hectare, coupled with improvements in efficiency, utilization, and capacity in sugar factories to attain a yield rate of 11.2 percent. Moreover, the government is keen on uplifting the welfare of sugarcane farmers and significantly scaling up the production of bioethanol derived from sugarcane, with a minimum target of 1,200,000 kiloliters.
To effectively implement the ambitious agenda of national sugar self-sufficiency and the utilization of bioethanol as a clean and renewable energy source, President Jokowi has entrusted several key ministries and government agencies with specific responsibilities.
The Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Finance, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), and Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) have all been assigned vital roles. Additionally, the Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Minister of Industry, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Minister of Trade, and Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) are actively involved in this comprehensive endeavor.
The issuance of this regulation reflects the government’s commitment to achieving national sugar self-sufficiency, ensuring food security, and promoting the availability of raw materials and industrial auxiliaries. It also aims to enhance the welfare of sugarcane farmers while simultaneously bolstering energy resilience and advancing the transition towards clean energy sources.
The comprehensive approach taken by the government signifies a strong determination to overcome the challenges posed by the sugar industry and capitalize on the potential of bioethanol as a sustainable energy solution.
