President Megawati concerned over rice shortage
President Megawati concerned over rice shortage
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post,
Bogor, West Java
President Megawati Soekarnoputri expressed concern over the
country's inability to regain its status as a nation self-
sufficient in rice.
Speaking before thousands of farmers here on Friday, Megawati
said Indonesia should learn from China on how the world's most
populous country applied agricultural technology to meet its
demand for rice.
"I feel annoyed because our country, with around 200 million
people, is unable to fulfill its own need for rice, while China,
with 1.2 billion people, is able to export it," the President
said in an off-the-cuff statement during Corn Day at the Bogor
Presidential Palace.
"I am so embarrassed, but I hope we can quickly cater for our
rice demand."
Megawati recently visited China.
Indonesia, whose population mostly lives in villages, has been
striving to meet its demand for rice, despite the government's
persistent campaign for an alternative staple food.
During former president Soeharto's administration, the Food
and Agriculture Organization declared Indonesia a food self-
sufficient country in 1984. The achievement proved to be short-
lived.
Currently, Indonesia imports rice from Thailand, Vietnam and
China to fulfill its increasing demand.
Megawati underlined the urgency of cooperation between the
government, farmers and other organizations to secure rice
production.
"Such a ceremonial event like this will not help, as I have
learned that people do nothing as soon as I have left them and
that most government officials only sit behind their desks and
are reluctant to monitor the actual situation," she said.
During the celebration the President introduced corn as an
alternative to replace rice.
Megawati also named a new variety of corn, NKRI, which stands
for the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia.
"What we have to be aware of is that good seeds will ensure a
good harvest despite infertile land. But bad seeds on good land
will not yield anything," Megawati said.
The President was not scheduled to deliver a speech, but
Minister of Agriculture Bungaran Saragih and Chairman of
the Indonesian Farmers Union (HKTI) Siswono Yudhohusodo managed
to persuade her to do so.
Earlier on Friday, State Logistics Agency (Bulog) Chief
Widjanarko Puspoyo, after meeting the President, unveiled the
government's plan to exchange airplanes, train wagons and
fertilizer for rice in anticipation of the possibility of a rice
shortage in early 2003.
Speaking at the State Palace, Widjanarko said the deal would
be made with Thailand, which had agreed to exchange 200,000 tons
of rice for airplanes, train wagons or fertilizer, worth US$40
million. Another deal will be concluded with Cambodia, involving
50,000 tons of rice.
The imported rice will enter the country in the last three
months of 2002.