Foreign firms told to develop fruit seeds

Foreign firms told to develop fruit seeds

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo is to invite foreign agriculture companies to develop high quality fruit seeds in Indonesia.

"A plan to involve foreign companies in the development of fruit seeds has been approved by President Soeharto," he told newsmen following his meeting here Friday with the President.

The minister said that in the first stage, the government will invite companies from Thailand and Taiwan, which have been widely known for their success in developing their fruit plantations.

"It would be better for us to invite them to develop fruit seedlings here, rather than import the seeds," he said.

Indonesia has multifarious types of fruits but their quality is not as good as those from Thailand and Taiwan due to a poor seedling system.

Siswono said that the poor quality of Indonesia's seedling system is also caused by the lack of research and development in the country's fruit plantation activities.

"If we have to carry out research first, we will run out of time because the liberalization of farm trade is unavoidable," he said.

The minister added that a number of fruit products from overseas have already flooded the country.

According to Siswono, the best quality fruit seeds to be developed by foreign companies will be sold to domestic farmers nationwide, including those taking part in the country's transmigration programs.

Siswono said that his ministry will hold a seminar on the improvement of agricultural seeds in transmigration sites on Thursday as part of "a campaign on the use of good quality seeds". (hen)