Rice self-sufficiency is safe: Govt<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government yesterday assured the country
\nthat it will remain self-sufficient in rice this year in spite of
\nthe severe drought that has affected rice fields in a number of
\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
\"We project that this year's harvest will produce 27.7 million
\ntons of husked rice, while our consumption will reach 26.7
\nmillion tons,\" Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono told reporters
\nafter a meeting with President Soeharto at the Merdeka Palace
\nhere yesterday.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono met the President together with Coordinating
\nMinister for Economy and Finance Saleh Afiff, Minister of
\nAgriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah and State Minister of
\nFood\/Chairman of the Logistics Board Ibrahim Hasan to report the
\nlatest development of the country's rice fields during this dry
\nseason.<\/p>\n
\"The very severe drought will reduce our rice production but
\nour self-sufficiency in rice is still safe,\" Moerdiono
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The current drought, according to the Agriculture Ministry on
\nMonday, has affected about 843,000 hectares of rice fields,
\n150,000 hectares of which were completely damaged.<\/p>\n
The amount of damaged area increased 39,000 hectares, up from
\nthe 111,000 hectares figure given last month by Director General
\nof Food Crops and Horticulture Amrin Kahar.<\/p>\n
Kahar also predicted that the drought may slash four percent
\noff this year's rice output level, down from last year's
\nproduction level of 48.1 million tons of unhusked rice.<\/p>\n
Although self-sufficiency is still safe, Moerdiono added that
\nrice must still be imported to \"strengthen our supply.\"<\/p>\n
He said Indonesia recently imported about 400,000 tons of
\nrice, most as repayments of rice loans.<\/p>\n
Minister of Food Ibrahim Hasan said recently that Indonesia
\nplans to import in a total of 665,000 tons of rice from Vietnam
\nand Thailand under counter-trade and loan-payment plans.(hdj)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rice-self-sufficiency-is-safe-govt-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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