Rice imports won't affect farmers: Official<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government's rice imports are expected to
\nhave a direct impact on the commodity's retail prices, but not
\naffect the incomes of farmers to the same extent.<\/p>\n
Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah said yesterday
\nthat the imports will help keep prices stable, especially during
\nthe current fasting month and upcoming Idul Fitri holidays.<\/p>\n
He said the inflow of rice imports was also one of the reasons
\nthe government decided to increase the commodity's floor price
\nearlier this week, and so protect farmers' incomes.<\/p>\n
\"To prevent the imports from disturbing the international
\nmarket, there are certain ways to do it... It's not like buying
\ngoods at the store next door,\" he said during a hearing with
\nmembers of the House of Representatives' commission for
\nagriculture and forestry.<\/p>\n
Sjarifudin said the inflow of rice imports depended largely on
\ntransportation, port facilities and other factors which are
\nmanaged on the exporters' side.<\/p>\n
\"So it is understandable if schedules for rice imports are
\nunpredictable, like the current situation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
News reports stated recently that tons of rice imported by the
\nNational Logistics Agency (Bulog) have been held up for the last
\nfew weeks at Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port.<\/p>\n
Bulog chairman Beddu Amang said recently that Indonesia's rice
\nimports during the first half (April-September) of the current
\nfiscal year reached US$239.7 million in value, the highest level
\nfor more than a decade.<\/p>\n
He said that last year, Bulog's rice procurement from farmers
\nwas only 918,925 tons, the lowest since 1984.<\/p>\n
Indonesia was formerly the biggest rice importer in the world
\nbut became self-sufficient in 1984. Rice exports exceeded imports
\nuntil 1993, but the country has had to rely partly on imports
\nsince 1994.<\/p>\n
In 1994, rice production fell to 46.6 million tons -- the
\nlowest level in 15 years -- from 48.2 million tons in 1993. The
\ndecline was caused by unfavorable weather and plant diseases.<\/p>\n
Legislators said yesterday that the rice imports may affect
\nthe incomes of farmers.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Bambang Sigit, a legislator from the Golkar faction, said
\nthe imports may adversely affect the farmers' income, especially
\nbecause the imports occurred almost simultaneously with the start
\nof the harvesting season.<\/p>\n
Sjarifudin said this was one of the reasons the government
\ndecided to announce the new floor prices of unhusked rice on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
The new floor price, Rp 450 (19 U.S. cents) per kilogram, is
\nRp 50 higher than the previous price of Rp 400 per kg. The
\nincrease is the highest since the government applied the floor
\nprice system since 1969.<\/p>\n
Sjarifudin explained that the floor price was a guarantee that
\nthe farmers will get at least Rp 450 per kg. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rice-imports-wont-affect-farmers-official-1447893297",
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