Surabaya, East Java, June 11 -- Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has called for achieving national sugar self-sufficiency within three years through deregulation, intensified sugarcane production, and the expansion of sugarcane plantations.

Speaking during a meeting with state-owned plantation firm PTPN in Surabaya, East Java, on Wednesday, he stressed the need to simplify outdated regulations that hinder farmers and state-run enterprises.

Deregulation is seen as essential, he said, because rigid rules can restrict technical decisions necessary for boosting productivity.

Sulaiman identified one of the main obstacles to sugar production: about 86 percent of existing sugarcane fields are either damaged or underperform...