The sustainability of inorganic ‘green revolution’ rice-growing technology has been called into question because of the resulting depletion of soil quality and the susceptibility of crops to pest infestations. This, together with health concerns about the use of chemicals in the production of foods, raises the question of whether it might be feasible to return to organic methods for the production of rice in Indonesia. This paper describes an experiment along these lines. It was found that organic farming methods could be used with only a small decline in yields per hectare, but that local demand for organic rice produced domestically was not strong enough to generate sales at prices that would cover higher production costs. If organic farming methods are to be adopted in Indonesia, therefore, it may be necessary to focus on exporting to countries where there is a potentially strong consumer demand for organic rice.