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Indonesia yet to decide on including sugar in food aid program as government reviews proposal By ChiniMandi - June 15, 2026 Jakarta: The Indonesian government is still assessing a proposal to include sugar in the national food assistance program, with officials saying any expansion of aid components will require careful evaluation before a decision is made. Deputy Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said the proposal remains under government review and has not yet reached the discussion stage for implementation, Antara, Indonesian News Agency reported. He said food self-sufficiency remains an important priority, but there has been no formal discussion on adding sugar to the list of commodities distributed under the food assistance programme. The proposal was put forward by sugarcane farmers, who are seeking the inclusion of sugar in government food aid packages as a way to strengthen support for producers and maintain stability in the domestic sugar market. Nurofiq said the government values recommendations from stakeholders and considers such inputs important while shaping public food policies. However, he noted that introducing additional products into the assistance programme requires broader assessment and consideration of interconnected factors. The Indonesian People’s Sugarcane Farmers Association (APTRI) has urged the government to include granulated sugar in the programme to provide greater protection for sugarcane farmers and support market balance. APTRI Chairman Soemitro Samadikoen proposed that each beneficiary household receive one kilogram of sugar alongside rice allocations under the aid programme. According to the proposal, households receiving 10 kilograms of rice would also receive one kilogram of sugar. Samadikoen argued that sugar consumption levels are significantly lower than rice consumption and therefore only a limited quantity would be required. He said sugar should be included in a measured manner, particularly if affordability remains a concern. At present, the government is distributing food assistance in phases to 33.2 million beneficiary families across Indonesia. Under the existing programme, each beneficiary family received 20 kilograms of rice and four litres of cooking oil for the February–March 2026 distribution period. The proposal is expected to remain under consideration as the government evaluates its potential impact on food policy, market conditions and support for domestic sugar producers. Brasil Sugar International (BSI) Website: https://brasil-sugar.com Email: [email protected] WhatsApp USA: +1 248 939 2646