Expanding Hybrid Rice Production in Indonesia
Authors
Indra Krishnamurti
Muhammad Diheim Biru
Rice is a key staple food for Indonesia, though it remains more expensive than international prices due to high consumption demands and low domestic productivity. Hybrid rice seeds are viewed as having the potential to produce better yields, it has an average annual productivity of 7 tonnes/ha, compared to 5.15 tonnes/ha produced by inbred rice.
However, hybrid rice only amounts to less than one percent of the rice planting area in Indonesia, and has stagnated for several years. Moreover, regulatory restrictions have hindered the development and availability of hybrid rice seed choices. These barriers have prevented farmers from accessing options to invest, and potentially yield more productive crops. The paper suggests how government can play a role to facilitate better research and development in hybrid rice seeds, and allowing farmers to access better quality farming inputs from global supplies.
