Flour makers should get SNIs

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Industry and Trade will require all flour producers to obtain Indonesian National Standard (SNI) quality certificates in order to protect consumers, the ministry's senior official said here on Friday.

Teddy Setiadi, the director general of domestic trade, said that his office was still waiting for an approval from the National Standardization Board (BSN) to impose the quality standard requirement.

"Obtaining the INS certificates is now on a voluntary basis, but it will become obligatory when the BSN gives its approval," he said.

A large amount of low-quality flour, especially that mixed from different kinds of wheat products, has been sold in the market, he said, adding the imposition of the tight quality standard requirement would help protect the consumers.

Domestic flour production reached 4.45 million tons last year. The country's major wheat millers like PT Bogasari, PT Sriboga and PT Berdikari imported their raw material from Australia, Canada and the United States.

In 1998 total wheat imports dropped slightly to 3.4 million tons from 3.6 million tons. (06)