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)