Soeharto opens C. Java irrigation and port projects<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto inaugurated several
\nirrigation projects and a fishing port in Central Java and
\nYogyakarta yesterday.<\/p>\n
An inaugural ceremony was held in Banyumas before the
\npresident proceeded to Cilacap to look at the new port in the
\nsouthern fishery town.<\/p>\n
The Serayu irrigation dam is designed to irrigate 20,000
\nhectares of agricultural land in Banyumas, Cilacap and Kebumen
\nregencies.<\/p>\n
The dam should free 4,000 hectares from seasonal flooding, the
\nPresident said.<\/p>\n
The Sermo reservoir is designed to improve the productivity of
\n150 hectares of paddy fields, and control floods in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said the irrigation facilities are expected to
\nimprove the welfare of local farmers, especially their buying
\npower, so more people buy domestic products.<\/p>\n
\"The projects are also expected to reduce the number of people
\nliving below the poverty line,\" he said.<\/p>\n
One of the government's efforts toward improving farm
\nfamilies' welfare is introducing appropriate farming technology,
\nthe President said.<\/p>\n
Java, whose size is only one-fourteenth of Indonesia, remains
\nthe country's largest rice producer, contributing about 60
\npercent of national rice product, he said.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said Indonesia has maintained the self-sufficiency in
\nrice production it achieved in 1984.<\/p>\n
\"We should be proud of the achievement. Currently, 800 million
\npeople are impoverished. In some countries, elderly people,
\nyouths and children die from starvation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The fishery port in Cilacap is designed to help local anglers
\naccess fishing facilities and sell their catch.<\/p>\n
In a dialog with 50 anglers and farmers in Cilacap, the
\nPresident acknowledged that Indonesia does not yet have the
\ntechnology to optimally exploit exclusive economic zone waters.<\/p>\n
\"Of the potential 6.7 million tons of fish that could be
\nharvested in the zones each year, Indonesian anglers are able to
\ncatch only half of it,\" Soeharto said.<\/p>\n
The rest is harvested by foreign anglers with more advanced
\ntechnology and we cannot do anything about it, he said.<\/p>\n
The technology is still too expensive for Indonesian fishermen
\nand bank credit for fishing is still difficult to obtain, he said<\/p>\n
The president called on local fishermen to revitalize their
\nmaritime spirits to farther and catch more, like their ancestors
\nwho reached Madagascar in east Africa in their sailing boats.<\/p>\n
The Rp 46 billion (US$20 million) fishery port has a housing
\ncomplex for fishermen worth Rp 23.5 million.<\/p>\n
Soeharto was accompanied by Minister\/State Secretary
\nMoerdiono, Minister of Public Works Radinal Moochtar and Central
\nJava governor Soewardi. (pan\/har\/wah)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-opens-c-java-irrigation-and-port-projects-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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