Farmers rally in Jakarta for sugar import ban

More than 1,000 sugar cane farmers from various parts of the country demonstrated outside the Trade Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday, demanding a ban on sugar imports.

Dozens of police officers prevented the demonstrators, members of the Association of Indonesian Sugar Cane Farmers, from entering the ministry, kompas.com reported.

The demonstrators called on the government to improve the farmers’ welfare by banning the sugar import.

The rally caused severe traffic jams surrounding Jl. Ridwan Rais in Central Jakarta, where the ministry is located.