Jakarta to control agricultural produce
Jakarta to control agricultural produce
Damar Harsanto, Jakarta
The Jakarta administration will beef up controls over the quality
and quantity of agricultural products entering markets in the
capital through a new bylaw.
All 11 factions in the City Council agreed on Wednesday to
pass a new bylaw on the control of agricultural products entering
the city's markets. The bylaw will take effect in one month.
The bylaw will require everyone involved in the business --
suppliers, distributors and retailers -- to tag the products with
documents identifying their point of origin and certificates
guaranteeing the health and quality of the products.
The bylaw also gives the Jakarta Forestry and Agricultural
Agency the power to check the validity of the documents.
If the products are not accompanied by valid documents, the
administration will have the authority to block them from
entering the markets or to withdraw the products from the
markets.
"We hope the bylaw can help protect consumers by ensuring that
the products they consume are good, safe and contain no hazardous
substances," Governor Sutiyoso said.
He said stricter requirements on the supply of agricultural
products would also increase the competition among suppliers from
outside the capital.
"Gradually, we will be able to reduce imports of agricultural
products because the bylaw will force local farmers to provide
the high quality and safe products we demand," he said.
The bylaw also stipulates that the Jakarta governor will have
the authority to issue operating permits for everyone involved in
the import of agricultural products.
The operation permits will be valid for five years but the
governor can revoke them at anytime if the enterprise concerned
fails to meet all necessary requirements, is dormant for three
consecutive months and/or violates regulations.
Companies or individuals who violate the bylaw could face a
maximum prison sentence of six months or a Rp 5 million (about
US$562) fine.
Achmad Heryawan of the council's Commission E on welfare
welcomed the bylaw, saying Jakarta consumers were currently at
risk of being sold unsafe vegetables and fruits contaminated by
pesticides.
"That is the result of farmers spraying pesticides at least
twice a day to ensure their crops are free of pests and weak
control by officials," Achmad said.
He warned that the city officers who supervise the quality and
safety of the products must be professional and not accept bribes
to pass poor quality and dangerous products.
The bylaw also stipulates the establishment of a Quality
Control Institution that will include representatives of
businesspeople, residents and the administration.
Forestry and agricultural agency head Peni Susanti said the
institution would be established by 2006 at the latest.
"We need time gradually to introduce the new bylaw to the
public," Peni said.