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)