Govt to buy rice and corn

JAKARTA (JP): The government has allocated Rp 20 trillion (US$2.6 billion) to buy unhusked rice, corn and soybean during the main harvest in February and April next year, agriculture minister Soleh Solahuddin said on Friday.

Soleh was quoted by Antara news agency as saying in Kendari regency, Southeast Sulawesi, that the government would have to purchase the commodities to prevent a sharp drop in prices caused by a glut in supply.

"The funds will be distributed through farmers' cooperatives and small-scale firms to facilitate the supervision of the flow of funds in the field and to empower local economic institutions," he said.

Soleh said that the government was currently preparing a harvest map which provides complete information on harvest schedules and estimates of the size of staple food harvests in all of the country's 27 provinces.

"By using this map, the government can distribute the funds to each province on time. There will be no delays which will harm farmers," he said. (gis)