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Rice import debate is old paradigm, agriculture minister says
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Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman (JP/Anton Hermansyah)
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griculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaeman was reluctant to comment on an open debate involving government officials on importing rice, but added that the issue was an old paradigm.
“It is an old paradigm. Don’t use old paradigms,” Amran said in West Bandung regency, West Java when opening a horticultural event on Thursday, but declined to comment further.
State Logistics Agency president director Budi Waseso and Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita were involved in an open debate about whether the country needed to import rice or not.
In April, the government laid out its plan to import 2 million tons of rice this year, which was followed by Enggartiasto issuing a rice import recommendation. Budi said Indonesia had adequate rice stocks for up to June 2019.
Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution said the government had imported 1.4 million tons of out of the planned 2 tons. He added that because of technical problems, in which exporting countries could not meet the schedule, the government canceled the import of the remaining 600,000 tons.
While declining to comment further, Amran said the country had established food security and sovereignty. He added that 1 million hectares of rice fields across the country were ready to be harvested.
He explained the ministry was modernizing agriculture with investment of Rp 40 trillion (US$2.69 billion) this year, higher than the Rp 23 trillion investment the previous year.
He also encouraged farmers to increase exports of agricultural commodities. (bbn)
