The Production Leveling-off Versus Exploding Demand for Maize in Indonesia

摘要

In Indonesia, maize is the second most important crops after rice and a major component of animal feed, accounting for about 51% of feed ingredient. Domestic maize demand for food and feed industries grew faster than its production. This article is aimed to review the past and current status as well as the future prospect of maize in Indonesia, based on the last 41 years time series data. Our study showed that most of the maize (about 64%) is used for food, including direct food and manufactured food, and about 22% is used for feed industry. In recent years the total demand of maize for feed and food industries has increased substantially. On the other hands, maize production grew slower than its demand, and tended to leveling-off. Since, the Slow growing production could not meet the domestic exploding demand, it is projected that Indonesia will have an increasing deficit of maize. To reduce maize deficit, there is a need of some strategic steps, such as (ⅰ) intensive promotion of the use of hybrid seed, (ⅱ) development of fair partnerships among seed growers, seed companies, maize farmers, feed millers and food factories, (ⅲ) providing farmers with subsidized and simple credit and (ⅳ) strengthen farmers group to improve their bargaining power. Otherwise, maize production will continue to leveling-off while its demand is exploding and Indonesia will be more dependent on maize import.