Agribusiness body to start

Agribusiness body to start

JAKARTA (JP): The newly formed Agribusiness Agency of the
Ministry of Agriculture announced yesterday that it is ready to
help formulate government policies and carry out research to
develop agribusiness and improve farmers' livelihoods.

"We are ready to work in close cooperation with the other
agencies of the ministry," the agency's chairman, Dudung
Indradjit, said during a hearing with Commission IV of the House
of Representatives (DPR).

Dudung said the formation of the agency was based on the
Minister of Agriculture's Decree No. 96/Kpts/OT.210/2/1994 and
Presidential Decree No. 83/1993.

Besides formulating government policies, the agribusiness
agency is also responsible to assist the National Standardization
Council in creating the required quality standards for
agricultural commodities.

"We will specifically aim to give farmers more direct access
to the market and increase their bargaining power," Dudung said.

The contribution of the agricultural sector to the country's
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dropped from 49.3 percent in 1969 to
20.2 percent last fiscal year. (hdj)