President denies reports of food shortages

President denies reports of food shortages

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto denied press reports
yesterday that a food shortage has forced people in Lampung and
Java to eat cassava for their daily meals.

The President described how farmers in some regencies in Java
preferred to consume tiwul (foodstuff made of cassava) or mixed
it with rice because they believed it would give them extra
strength to work in the field.

"It does not mean there is a famine, they have enough food but
prefer such a diet," Soeharto said in a teleconference with 50
small-scale tempeh producers, who gathered at the National Tempeh
Center in Cibitung, West Java.

Soeharto said some people in other provinces also chose to eat
food other than rice as part of their daily diet.

"However, we must improve their food so it is more
nutritious," he said.

At least 4,000 citizens of Papanrejo, in Kotabumi, North
Lampung had to eat gadung, a type of wild tuber, because they
could not afford to buy cassava.

Almost 450 drought-related deaths were recorded recently in
Jayawijaya regency, Irian Jaya.

The President was optimistic the nation could maintain its
self-sufficiency in food production which was first achieved in
1984.

"We must be grateful because 88 other nations are still
struggling to liberate themselves from food shortage problems,"
he said.

This year's prolonged dry season has exacerbated the affects
of forest fires and caused the failure of crops and rice harvests
in several provinces.

The teleconference was held in commemoration of the 17th World
Food Day and the Second World Rural Women's Day yesterday at
Taman Mini Indah in East Jakarta.

In his speech, Soeharto reminded the international community
that even today food remains one of the world's major problems,
and that hunger and malnutrition still haunt many nations.

He said an estimated 800 million people in the world are
suffering from chronic food and nutrition deficiencies.

"The commemoration of World Food Day is to set in momentum the
continuous awakening of national and international solidarity to
fight hunger, malnutrition and poverty," said the President.

Soeharto praised Indonesian women's role in food production
and processing, especially in rural areas. There, he said, women
work to provide food for their families and to improve their
family's income.

"I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation
to women in rural areas for their important role in food
production," Soeharto said.

The President also told people to consume more tempeh because
it is cheap and nourishing.

"I think I am smart because I consumed a lot of tempeh in my
childhood," Soeharto said laughing.

In anticipation of global competition in the production of
tempeh, a highly nutritious traditional Indonesian food, the
National Institute of Sciences has planned to set up the
Indonesian Tempeh Center.

The center will provide information, education and training
about making tempeh and developments in its production process.

The President presented yesterday Good Manufacturing Practices
Awards to four companies including Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia and
Aqua Golden Mississippi Indonesia. (prb)