Less dependency on rice urged

Less dependency on rice urged

DEMAK, Central Java: President Abdurrahman Wahid asked farmers
here to reduce their dependency on rice and start to grow other
plants in order to increase their income.

Speaking before the farmers after Friday prayers at the grand
mosque here, Abdurrahman said that other countries such as
Vietnam were increasing their rice production. It also planned to
grow rice in an area of one million hectares.

"In the next one or two years, there will be a rice surplus
all over the world. This is a consequence of improving
economies," he said.

Abdurrahman added that while it was not easy to compete, it
was better for farmers to plant other products that could be sold
at a higher price than rice. (har/hdn)