Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Agriculture Ministry aims to distribute 5.9 billion sugarcane buds in 2026 to accelerate national sugar self-sufficiency by expanding smallholder plantations and improving productivity across major producing regions.Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said in Jakarta on Thursday the buds would support planting on 99,547 hectares across 10 provinces and 74 districts identified for sugarcane development.He said the program forms part of a broader strategy to expand cultivation areas while raising productivity among smallholder farmers, helping the country sustainably meet rising domestic sugar demand.Strengthening the sugarcane sector has become a government priority as Indonesia seeks to reduce reliance on imports and build a more resilient domestic sugar industry.“We are making improvements from upstream to downstream, starting with buds and planting patterns to downstream systems and marketing,” Sulaiman said. “The goal is simple: farmers must earn profits.”The government also aims to raise national sugar production to about three million tons by 2026 as plantation expansion and productivity programs are rolled out nationwide to support Indonesia’s broader food sovereignty agenda.The acceleration program began in 2025 as authorities sought to quickly expand smallholder planting areas while improving yields through better planting materials and cultivation practices.During that year, the ministry’s Directorate General of Estates distributed 1,925,760,000 sugarcane buds to farmers, enough to cover around 32,096 hectares assuming a requirement of 60,000 buds per hectare.“This program was implemented across seven provinces and 56 districts,” Sulaiman said, adding that the effort marked an early stage of the government’s longer-term sugar expansion plan.Acting Director General of Estates Abdul Roni Angkat said the availability of high-quality sugarcane buds is a critical factor in raising both plantation productivity and farmers’ sugar yields.“Through this assistance program, the government aims to ensure farmers gain access to quality planting materials to increase productivity and sugar output,” Angkat said.He added that the Directorate General of Estates would strengthen coordination with regional governments, nurseries and farmers to ensure timely and accurate distribution of buds.By expanding smallholder sugarcane plantations and supplying better planting materials, the government expects national sugar output to steadily increase in the coming years.Officials say the program could also raise farmers’ incomes while gradually reducing Indonesia’s dependence on imported sugar supplies.