Japan resumes RI's loan program<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Japan has resumed its US$200 million loan
\nprogram to Indonesia to help finance agriculture infrastructure
\ndevelopment in a bid to ensure food security, officials at the
\nMinistry of Agriculture said.<\/p>\n
They said resumption of the loans, which were suspended on
\nSept. 10, indicated that Japan held confidence and faith in the
\nnew government of President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
Director general for food crops and horticulture Chairil
\nRasahaan said on Monday that part of the loans was available
\nsince Dec. 10 after the government fixed the planning and
\nimplementation of the project.<\/p>\n
\"We almost lost the momentum for the harvest period in
\nJanuary,\" he said. \"If the suspension continued, it would have
\ndefinitely affected our rice stocks.\"<\/p>\n
He said the loans would be stretched through October next year
\nand were aimed at increasing the production of quick yielding
\ncommodities such as rice, corn and soybeans.<\/p>\n
The project is expected to help increase paddy, soybean and
\ncorn harvests by 2.15 million tons, 390,000 tons and 288,000 tons
\nper annum respectively, he said.<\/p>\n
Of the total loans, $75 million would be used to purchase
\nagricultural machinery, while the remainder will finance
\ninfrastructure rehabilitation and the setting up of training and
\ninformation centers at the regency level.<\/p>\n
The ministry's secretary-general, Syarifuddin Karama, said
\nthe fund would be disbursed to 194 regencies in 25 provinces.<\/p>\n
He said local governments would have full authority to execute
\nthe project, while the central government would monitor its
\nimplementation.<\/p>\n
The ministry's inspector general, Suparman, said his office
\nwould ensure that the funds would reach the targets through
\nauditing from the outset of the disbursement.<\/p>\n
\"We will perform audits at every phase of the project
\nimplementation to ensure there is no wrongdoing or leakage of
\nfunds.\"<\/p>\n
Chairil said his office was optimistic that Indonesia would
\nregain its self-sufficiency in rice production by 2001, with rice
\noutput of 54.3 million tons of unhusked rice, or equal to 34.3
\ntons of husked rice, with per capita consumption of 134.4
\nkilograms.<\/p>\n
The office projected domestic rice production would reach 53.3
\nmillion tons of unhusked rice next year, up from the expected 52
\nmillion tons this year.<\/p>\n
Chairil said the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the State
\nLogistics Agency should anticipate the rising domestic production
\nof rice by reducing imports and imposing import duties for the
\nnational staple food. (06)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/japan-resumes-ris-loan-program-1447893297",
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