RI still imports salt, cassava

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: A senior official at the Manpower and Transmigration Ministry expressed regret on Saturday that Indonesia was still importing salt and cassava, although those products could easily be produced in the country.

Dyah Pramawartiningsih, the Director-General of Population Mobility Affairs at the ministry, said the country imported 1.6 million tons of salt and 0.85 million tons of cassava annually.

"It's still logical for the country to import rice and sugar. To (my) surprise, however, Indonesia also imports salt and cassava," Dyah said during the opening of a seminar on Lombok island. -- Antara