{
  "id": 12582251,
  "title": "Indonesia plans one million hectares of sugarcane for its E20 bioethanol ambition",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/indonesia-plans-one-million-hectares-of-sugarcane-for-its-e20",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-07T07:11:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2026/10/07/indonesia-plans-one-million-hectares-of-sugarcane-for-its-e20-bioethanol-ambition/238096"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indonesia plans to develop new sugarcane plantations for its E20 bioethanol initiative, the government announced on October 7. The move comes as the country halts deforestation for rice paddy expansion. The government aims to raise the ethanol content in biofuel to 20% by 2023, reducing reliance on expensive petroleum imports. To meet the goal, Indonesia would need about four million kilolitres of ethanol annually, significantly more than the current production. Food Minister Zulkifli Hasan confirmed that sugarcane would be the primary source, requiring the opening of new plantations. Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized the need for one million hectares of sugar cane production, noting that degraded land would be prioritized before forested areas. Climate envoy Hashim Djojohadikusumo revealed that Indonesia will cease its program to clear land for rice cultivation, having already achieved self-sufficiency in the staple grain. However, over 50,000 hectares of rainforest, savannah, peat swamp, and wetlands have been cleared for sugar cane and rice since 2024, according to the NGO Mighty Earth.",
  "summary": "JAKARTA, Oct 7 — Indonesia will “open new plantations” for sugarcane used in bioethanol production, th...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}