Military will help boost farm production: Justika

Military will help boost farm production: Justika

JAKARTA (JP): Military personnel will be deployed in various
agricultural activities to help boost the production of staple
commodities such as rice, soybean and corn.

Minister of Agriculture Justika Sjarifudin Baharsjah said
yesterday that Armed Forces personnel, equipped with tractors and
other modern equipment, would help farmers grow crops. Idle land
outside of Java would be a priority during the Armed Forces'
routine civic mission in rural areas across the country.

"The soldiers will be trained prior to their deployments,"
Justika said after meeting with President Soeharto at Bina Graha
presidential office.

Accompanied by the head of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog),
Beddu Amang, Justika also reported to the President the details
of her ministry's plan to reduce dependence on rice and soybean
imports.

To counter the increasing number of farmers quitting the land,
the ministry will promote mechanization, particularly the use of
small tractors, she claimed.

Last year's severe drought has significantly affected rice
production.

Unhusked rice production in 1997 was 49.13 million tons, a
3.85 percent drop compared to 1996 production.

Officials at the agriculture ministry have indicated that this
year's production would not likely compensate for the previous
year's shortcomings.

The shortage forced the government to import rice from
neighboring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. Beddu refused
to say yesterday how much rice had been imported.

He did say that Japan had agreed to lend 500,000 tons of rice
to Indonesia, while Taiwan pledged 250,000 tons as a loan. The
United States has also pledged some US$25 million in food aid to
Indonesia, Beddu added.

Beddu disclosed last month that Indonesia would need at least
Rp 13.5 trillion to import 1.1 million tons of sugar, 700,000
tons of soybean, 4.25 million tons of wheat and 3.3 million tons
of rice in 1998/1999.

According to Justika, Indonesia also imported 1.3 million tons
of corn last year. But this year, she claimed, Indonesia would
most likely be able to export corn due to rising production.

Justika also pointed out that Indonesia continued to import
soybean, with 700,000 tons brought in last year. National
production of soybean stands at 1.49 million tons.

"Self-sufficiency in soybean will only be possible after 2000.
We will continue trying to boost our production," Justika noted.
(prb)