Food self-reliance national priority: SBY

Thu, 11/13/2008 10:37 AM  |  National

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reiterated the need for the country to become food self-sufficient, saying global food production had been compromised by the recent food crisis.

"Indonesia must struggle to reach food self-sufficiency, and learn not to rely on other countries because we have our own good resources with which to develop the agriculture sector," said Yudhoyono (photo above, center) during the rice harvesting ceremony in Jeruk Nyelap village in Sukabumi, West Java, while accompanied by First Lady Any Yudhoyono.

He said Indonesia should only export agriculture commodities in which it had a surplus.

"Fortunately, this year we have reached self-sufficiency in rice and corn. This year's increase in rice production is the greatest during the last 12 years."

He said the country's rice production was expected to reach 60 million tons this year, up 5.46 percent from 57 tons last year, as estimated by the Central Statistic Agency.

The government came under fire from farmers two months ago when the government-endorsed Supertoy HL2 rice strain was tested on a number of plantations resulting in failed harvests. The Agriculture Ministry said the new variety had not been certified by the government.

Yudhoyono said efforts to improve the agriculture sector should not be hampered by the spread of infrastructure development.

"We should ensure that land for paddy fields is always available," he said.

The government plans to allocate Rp 33 trillion (US$2.87 billion) in subsidies for the agriculture sector from next year's state budget, an increase from Rp 29 trillion this year.

The subsidies package includes seeds, fertilizers and loan schemes for farmers.

West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan (photo above, left) said the province had contributed 20 percent of the country's total rice production this year.

Rice harvested in paddies during the event were grown from Benih Prima and Benih Super strains; High-quality seeds produced by PT Sumber Alam Sutera, an agriculture company owned by tycoon Tommy Winata.

-- JP/Desy Nurhayati

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