REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said he was confident Indonesia would become a world food barn in 2045. 

The Minister said the government wanted to increase the production of 11 strategic farm commodities and the production target for four commodities have been reached.

"There are 11 strategic commodities and (the targets for) four of them have been reached. This year we are set to meet the target for corn production, to be followed with garlic next year," he said. 

He said the production targets could not be reached at once on limited fund and teams to carry out the program. 

"Thanks God, today we can eat rice, corn, onion and chili, without having to import. What we have achieved is no small thing amid the formidable challenge. We have been confronted with the most disastrous El Nino in history, but we did well," he said. 

He said the potential is high for Indonesia to increase its food production, not only to meet domestic requirement but to become the world's largest food supplier.

"With hard work Indonesia could become a food barn for the world in 2045," he added. 

In 2018-2021 , the country's food production is expected to rise five percent annually that by the end of that period, the country would be fully self sufficient in food, he said. 

He said the agriculture ministry would set a tight policy standard for the region to achieve the target.

He asked all heads of regions bordering on foreign countries to build sufficient food storage facilities to facilitate exports. 

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