Unfortunately, there are few processing centres for agricultural products, so much of the food raised is exported. Because of uneven distribution in local production, this often means that some areas have food shortages. This is exacerbated by an unbalanced distribution of population, with 60 to 70 per cent of the people living in Java, which makes up only 6 per cent of the total land area of Indonesia. This means that any extension of agriculture in Java is limited by land constraints. There are some medium-sized cattle ranches in Sulawesi and on the Nusa Tenggara Islands.
Rice is by far the main staple crop and occupies the largest agricultural area.
Most food is produced by small land-holders who individually sell any excess produce to nearby markets. Most of Indonesian land is dominated by forests, with agriculture covering only 6 per cent of the total land area. Current animal industries Fish comprises most of the animal protein in the Indonesian diet because it is cheap. Fresh dairy products are not readily available because the cows are raised only in the mountainous areas of East, Central, and West Java. Most of the 10 million head of cattle and buffaloes in Indonesia are in Java and Madura, and are generally kept as draught animals or as investments.