The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial administration has expressed its opposition to the governmentâs plan to import corn this year, arguing that the plan would undermine the businesses of corn farmers in the province
he West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial administration has expressed its opposition to the government's plan to import corn this year, arguing that the plan would undermine the businesses of corn farmers in the province.
The matter was brought up by NTB Governor Zainul Majdi in front of President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo during a ceremony to celebrate National Press Day at Kuta Beach in Central Lombok on Tuesday.
'I heard that the State Logistics Agency [Bulog] will buy imported corn for Rp 3,000 (about 20 US cents) per kilogram. This will definitely hurt corn farmers in NTB because corn production in NTB has further increased, but prices often drop at grand harvest time,' he said.
Zainul asked the government to reconsider the plan and optimize absorption of the national commodity through the Bulog.
According to Zainul, during the corn grand harvest in Dompu regency in mid 2015, Jokowi had attended and instructed Bulog to absorb corn production in NTB. The instruction, however, has yet to be implemented.
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