JP\/1\/Paddy<\/p>\n
Improve rice production: Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto called for increased
\nefficiency in rice production to maintain the country's self-
\nsufficiency in the staple.<\/p>\n
"We have to maintain our self-sufficiency in rice, which we
\nhave achieved since 1984, because one of the goals of our
\ndevelopment programs is meeting our people's needs for food,
\nclothing and housing," he said in a ceremony in Subang, West Java
\non Saturday to mark the beginning of the harvest of rice planted
\nunder an intensification program.<\/p>\n
The program is being implemented simultaneously in Subang,
\nSukoharjo of Central Java and Jombang of East Java, in which urea
\ntablets are used to make ricefields more fertile.<\/p>\n
The President chronicled Indonesia's efforts beginning 25
\nyears ago to increase rice production through the use of
\nfertilizer, pesticides, high-yield seeds, irrigation and better
\nplantation systems.<\/p>\n
"We must continue to increase efficiency through
\nintensification programs," he told government officials and
\nfarmers attending the ceremony.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was also attended by First Lady Tien Soeharto,
\nMinister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah, State Minister of
\nFood Ibrahim Hasan and Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said the use of urea tablets, instead of urea in
\nbulk, can increase productivity by 10 percent and reduce costs
\nfor fertilizer utilization.<\/p>\n
"The use of urea tablets, therefore, can help increase
\nfarmers' incomes by Rp 225,000 (US$105) per hectare," he noted.<\/p>\n
He said using urea tablets can also help the country save some
\n600 tons of fertilizer each year, thereby increasing its export
\npotential.<\/p>\n
Indonesia currently operates five fertilizer plants with a
\ntotal capacity of six million tons a year.<\/p>\n
Minister Sjarifudin said the pilot project on the use of urea
\ntablets will be expanded this year to 15 locations across the
\narchipelago. (riz)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp1paddy-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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