17m families 'hit by dire food shortages'

17m families 'hit by dire food shortages'

JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M.
Saefuddin, acknowledging that 17.1 million families are facing
food shortages nationwide, said on Sunday the government was
prescribing special measures for poverty-stricken areas
vulnerable to social unrest.

He said that in Central and East Java provinces 60 percent of
7.3 million poor families -- averaging four people to a household
-- could afford only one meal a day. He described it as a
"critical situation".

The other 9.7 million families were considered to be able to
eat twice daily, but this ability was declining fast, he told The
Jakarta Post by telephone.

He identified areas particularly vulnerable to food crises and
social unrest as including North and West Jakarta mayoralties,
and Tangerang and Bekasi in Greater Jakarta. He also cited
Karawang, another area on Jakarta's outskirts which was formerly
an important rice producer.

"Urban poor are especially vulnerable," Saefuddin said,
confirming the view of agricultural expert Rizaldi Boer and
sociologist Loekman Soetrisno. They said in recent interviews
with the Post that hardest hit among community groups were poor
in urban centers who no longer have access to either industrial
or agricultural resources.

"In many rural areas, people are more used to hardship and can
seek alternative ways to cope. Those who demonstrate or loot are
usually the urban poor," Saefuddin said.

Rizaldi, a lecturer at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture, and
Loekman, a professor of sociology at the Gadjah Mada University
in Yogyakarta, agreed that social unrest could easily ignite
among the urban poor, confronted by industries grinding to a halt
and without any land to till.

Loekman also identified Greater Jakarta and the northern part
of East and Central Java provinces as areas especially prone to
the threat. "In Java, the (crisis) is almost everywhere."

Separately, World Vision Indonesia -- a Christian humanitarian
relief organization -- said it had targeted areas hit by
prolonged drought last year and early this year. They included
East Sumba, Rote Island off East Nusa Tenggara, and Alor regency
in the same province, and Bangai regency in Central Sulawesi.

"Those areas were designated since we identified them as the
most affected by last year's El Nino," said spokesman Hendro
Suwito.

Saefuddin conceded that starting this month, the country will
face paceklik -- a term referring to famine caused by crop
failure or food scarcities before harvest, which usually occurs
in January.

"Prices tend to rise, while domestic stocks of rice decline."
He added that government stocks had thinned to 2 million metric
tons because of continued market operations.

Of the 1.9 million tons of rice to be imported this year, only
500,000 tons have arrived, he said. The next batch of 400,000
tons is expected to arrive next month, to be followed in November
by 1 million tons.

The government plans to flood markets with the stocks in the
hope of controlling the prices, he said. It also plans to
reinforce stocks with domestic production by purchasing rice at
market prices rather than basic prices.

"This is assuming that many people, farmers and traders, are
still holding on to their own supply of rice, hoping for better
prices."

He conceded that a negative ramification of the move could be
a further increase in prices of the staple food.

He suggested the alternative for the government to allow the
private sector to import rice directly rather than through the
State Logistics Agency (Bulog). "Rice is an absolute staple for
the effort to protect people's basic rights, namely the right to
food."

He also suggested the abolition of its import taxes and
duties, pointing out the relatively small international stocks of
rice, currently controlled by China, Thailand, Vietnam, India,
Pakistan and the United States.

"Private imports will bolster international prices, and
influence domestic prices as well. Therefore, government
subsidies on rice must be maintained," he said.

"However, for the paceklik period, the government should just
allow the private sector to import good quality rice. The
government can import the medium quality rice for certain
consumers, namely (those with incomes at the level of) public
servants or Armed Forces personnel."

He forecast the special measure could be discontinued by
harvest time.

The government's special measures, he said, would also include
nonmarket operations, such as distribution of rice directly to
"critical groups" such as students and "the poorest among the
poor".

He believed the operations should involve community leaders,
non-governmental organizations, student groups, mosques and
churches. "Involve them so they may reduce their pressure toward
the government."

Despite the poverty blanketing many areas of Java, Saefuddin
said several regions were reaping rewards because of their
export-based industries. He identified Bali with its tourism,
Aceh (coffee), Riau (palm oil) and South Sulawesi (cacao).

"There are pockets of export commodities which are currently
enjoying dollars... when (people in these areas) want to buy
cars, they are put on waiting lists because so many people want
to buy," he said.

"Some people there are probably hoping the economic crisis
lasts longer so they can enjoy the difference in exchange rate."
(swe/aan)