Jakarta, March 12 -- 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 r...