The food estate project in Merauke has the potential to repeat the failures of MIFEE in the past. Developing large-scale agriculture is challenging.

Preparing 2.9 million hectares of land under the food estate program in Merauke, South Papua, the government aims to achieve rice and sugar self-sufficiency within three to four years. Mirroring the previous failed food estate initiative.

Sugarcane farmers experience two strokes of ill luck. Production plummets thanks to pests in the dry season. To make it worse, sugar is sold at a low price.

State-owned forestry and plantation firms Perhutani and PTPN are converting forests and unproductive rubber plots into sugarcane plantations. Large-scale land clearing is needed to reach sugar self-sufficiency.