Imported fruit not restricted: Minister
Imported fruit not restricted: Minister
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah
said yesterday the government would not restrict fruit imports
despite its regulation on maximum pesticide residue contents
allowed in fruit.
He said the ruling, signed in August by Sjarifudin and
Minister of Health Sujudi, aimed to protect the public from
pesticide residues in agricultural produce. This complies with
World Trade Organization principals.
The rule initially applies to apples, mandarins, oranges,
pears and grapes, he said, adding that other agricultural
products will covered by the rule in time.
The United States and other countries have expressed concern
that the rule might hamper fruit imports. The minister said
yesterday the ruling would apply to both imported and domestic
produce.
The rule lists 216 pesticides and their allowable maximum
levels of toxicity in fruit. Government-appointed laboratories
are supposed to regularly analyze fruit samples.
Indonesia imports apples, oranges, mandarins, pears, grapes,
dates, longans, lychees and durian. Imported fruit, once only
sold in supermarkets, has become available in traditional markets
since the government's move to open up the domestic commodities
market in the late 1980s.
Some critics say imported fruits contain high pesticide
levels. A study by Trubus agriculture magazine and state-owned
surveyor PT Sucofindo stated that up to 11 kinds of pesticide
residue were found in imported fruit.
Critics also claim that imported fruit is low grade and
therefore cheaper.
The Indonesian Fruit Association (HPI) has reported there is
not enough imported fruit entering the market to damage domestic
fruit production and marketing, despite recent media reports to
the contrary.
The association said although fruit imports had increased
significantly in the last five years, they are still
insignificant compared to domestic production and consumption
levels. The volume of fruit imports has increased 1,168 percent
in the last five years, and orange and mandarin imports has
increased 936 percent.
The association's chairman, Goeswono Soepardi, said recently
that although the increase in fruit imports between 1991 and 1995
seemed hefty, only 112,787 tons of fruit were imported last year.
By comparison, 5.8 million tons of fruit is produced
domestically each year, while consumption is about 6.3 million
tons, Goeswono said.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade said the value of fruit
imports has increased sixfold in the last five years, from
US$15.7 million in 1991 to $89.8 million last year, with an
average growth of 50.8 percent a year. (02)