Amran Says Earthquake-Hit NTT Has Enough Rice for One Year

Labuan Bajo — Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has said government rice reserves in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) are sufficient to cover the needs of people displaced by the recent earthquake for up to one year, backed by around 39,000 tonnes of government rice stock in the province.

According to the National Food Agency (Badan Pangan Nasional) and statements relayed by Amran, government rice stocks in NTT amount to about 39,000 tonnes, while approximately 34,600 displaced residents are estimated to require around 300 tonnes of rice per month. Based on this calculation, Amran said the available provincial stock could secure consumption for up to one year or longer.

Amran stated that rice assistance for earthquake-affected communities would be sent as soon as local authorities request it and would not be held up by administrative procedures. He said around 6,000 tonnes of rice had been prepared nationally to support the emergency response in NTT and that additional allocations would be adjusted to needs on the ground.

The government has framed this food assistance as part of a broader disaster response coordinated with the National Food Agency and other institutions. Amran said national government rice reserves stand at about 5.2 million tonnes, providing a buffer beyond the NTT-specific stock.

Rice allocations for earthquake-affected districts

Media reports citing government data say total rice assistance for districts affected by the Flores earthquake in NTT is on the order of several thousand tonnes, combining regular food assistance with specific disaster allocations. One report put the combined support for four affected districts at 5,386 tonnes with a value of about Rp75.4 billion, while a National Food Agency publication cited 6,673.2 tonnes for five districts, valued at Rp93.5 billion.

Within these figures, the government has highlighted special support for Manggarai. Amran and several reports state that 200 tonnes of rice have been prepared for Manggarai as part of the broader emergency response package for NTT. Separate documents from the National Food Agency and local media also note that 15 tonnes of rice were delivered to Manggarai on Thursday, 20 August 2026, with further deliveries to follow based on evolving needs.

These allocations sit alongside other humanitarian supplies, including cooking oil, sugar and instant noodles, which were reported as being distributed through convoys sent into affected areas.

Distribution and logistics

Government statements and media coverage describe a logistics operation involving truck convoys to reach remote and damaged areas of Flores. One national outlet, citing Amran, reported that 35 trucks were prepared to deliver rice and other food assistance, with 10 trucks directed to locations personally visited by the minister.

Officials have emphasised that district governments can request additional rice without waiting for lengthy paperwork and that deliveries will be adjusted according to the number of evacuees and local conditions. However, publicly available reports do not provide a detailed route map, timetable for each truck shipment or a full list of receiving warehouses and relief posts.

Recovery beyond emergency food aid

Alongside food assistance, Amran has outlined plans to support agricultural recovery in areas hit by the earthquake, including restoring damaged farmland and irrigation, providing free seeds and deploying agricultural machinery. He also mentioned replacing damaged coffee, cocoa and coconut crops, with funding pledged to help farmers resume production and rebuild their incomes.

National Food Agency publications note that regular food assistance and disaster-specific rice allocations are being combined to stabilise consumption in affected districts while longer-term recovery measures are prepared. As of late August, government reports indicated that around 6,000 tonnes of rice had already been shipped for disaster response in NTT, with further distributions ongoing.

Authorities and media outlets consistently attribute the decision to reinforce NTT’s rice reserves and accelerate distribution to central government directives following the earthquake, with Amran’s field visit to Manggarai used to signal that the state intends to prevent food shortages among displaced communities.

Sources

• Badan Pangan Nasional digital library publication on NTT earthquake food assistance and rice stocks
• Koran Jakarta article on NTT rice stocks and agricultural recovery after the earthquake
• Viva.co.id business article on NTT rice stocks for earthquake victims
• RRI.co.id national news article on rice assistance without administrative delays
• RRI.co.id national news article on ongoing rice deliveries to Manggarai
• Brief.id article on NTT rice stocks and Manggarai deliveries
• DailyFX.id article on Amran sending 200 tonnes of rice for NTT earthquake victims
• Liputan6 business article on NTT rice stocks for earthquake evacuees
• CNBC Indonesia video report on food security for NTT earthquake victims
• Indonesia’s Agriculture Ministry