2003 rice output seen at 54m tons

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of Agriculture Bungaran Saragih expressed confidence on Wednesday that the country's unhusked rice output would reach 54 million tons in 2003, higher than this year's target of 53 million tons.

"After seeing the report from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), I am optimistic that the total unhusked output will reach 54 million tons next year," Bungaran told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with the House of Representatives's Commission III for agriculture and food affairs.

He was referring to the BPS data, which reported that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 2.15 percent in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period last year, thanks to a 16.51 percent growth in the agricultural sector.

"I have traveled to several production centers, there are positive signals about the increase in unhusked output in the coming years, as the climate continues to improve," Bungaran said.

In order to meet this year's target, the government will encourage farmers to cultivate idle land in several areas, he said.

"We aim to cultivate one million hectares of idle land this year and boost farmers' productivity," he said.

Bungaran added he was optimistic this year's rice production target was achievable, as the El Nino weather phenomenon might not return this year as predicted.

El Nino, which brought drought to many parts of the archipelago in 1998, has been predicted by experts to return this year.

Data from the ministry showed that the country's paddy fields to be harvested in 2002 will reach 11.8 million hectares with productivity of about 45 percent.

It also predicted the country's corn output would reach 12 million tons in 2002, up from this year's target of 11.5 million.

The country's soybean production is estimated to reach 1.43 million tons in 2004 from this year's target of 1.1 million tons with a total harvest area of 1.1 million hectares.

The BPS projected earlier that the total harvest area in 2002 would fall 3.02 percent to only 10.99 million hectares.

However, many agricultural experts have repeatedly warned that the country's unhusked output will steadily decline in the next few years, in line with a decrease in rice fields.

They also blamed the decline on the farmers's lack of interest in planting rice due to the government's rice policy, which was aimed at maintaining a low price, disregarding farmers' welfare.

Indonesia achieved self-sufficiency in rice in 1984, but since then its rice output has continued to decline, forcing Indonesia to import the commodity.

Indonesia's rice imports reached 6 million tons in 1998. This figure fell to 4 million tons in 1999, 1.5 million tons in 2000, and 1.5 million tons last year.