Firm supplies powdered baby food

BOGOR (JP): A subsidiary of giant noodle maker Indofood Sukses Makmur, PT Gizindo Prima Nusantara, in cooperation with Unicef, launched distribution of its third batch of low-cost powdered baby food on Thursday.

The sale of 2,525 metric tons in seven provinces across the country was launched at Karang Asem Barat village in Citeureup by the chairwoman of the state-sponsored Family Welfare Movement (PKK) Mrs. Syarwan Hamid, who is the wife of the minister of home affairs.

She said each 500-gram sachet of the food sold for Rp 500 (6 U.S. cents), which she termed relatively cheap even for the needy.

She said each sachet would last an infant for a week.

"Thus, each baby would need four sachets every month. Funds derived from the sales will be donated to the community again through PKK cadres in the respective area."

The aid packages are available to babies aged from six months to 12 months in West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor.

Mrs. Syarwan said the efforts of the companies to help low- income families meet their basic needs should be considered a stimulus for them to learn to solve their nutritional problems.

Eventually, she added, the people should be able to use their own initiative.

Indofood CEO Eva Riyanti Hutapea said the powdered baby food was made from soybeans, rice, sugar and other important nutrients.

"Although the food is cheap, it consists complete nutritional materials needed by children," Eva said at the launching ceremony.

Others present included Unicef country representative chief Stephen J. Woodhouse and donators from the United Kingdom and Norway.

In the first phase, the program supplied 216 tons in West Java, Central Java and East Java last April.

Three months later, a second batch of 1,000 tons was distributed in West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor. (jun/24)