Jakarta, Nov 3 - Indonesian rice production this year is likely to be higher than earlier estimates, according to a new government forecast on Monday, cutting the prospect of any need for imports.
In its third of three annual crop estimate, Indonesia said it expected to produce 60.28 million tonnes of unmilled grains this year, or up 0.66 percent from the second forecast of 59.88 million tonnes made in July.
The forecast marked an increase of 5.5 percent from 57.16 million tonnes in 2007.
"Rice output has increased because of lower harvest failures," Rusman Heriawan, the head of the state statistics agency, told reporters, adding that the actual acreage had not increased.
Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous nation, normally imports some rice but officials have said it may not need to this year as production should be sufficient to meet domestic demand.
Attempts by authorities in Southeast Asia's biggest economy to increase rice production, the main staple for its 226 milion people, have been hampered by a lack of good quality seeds and sufficient fertiliser and intense competition for land.
The country's corn output is expected to rise by 13.9 percent to 15.86 million tonnes this year, compared with 13.29 million tonnes in 2007. The figure also represents a 6.8 percent increase from the second forecast of 14.85 million tonnes made in July.
Soybean output is forecast to reach 761,210 tonnes this year, up 28.4 percent from 592,530 tonnes in 2007. The figure was also up 5.2 percent from the second forecast of 723,540 tonnes in July.