Shameful situation
Shameful situation
Isn't it a shame, that the Indonesian tempeh industry is
affected by the dollar. Why do the soya beans have to be
imported? Can Indonesian farmers not grow soya beans themselves?
It should be an embarrassment for the Minister of Agriculture
that the local farmers do not have the means or know how to grow
prime quality basic food we all eat.
It galls me when I see that a small bunch of wilted water
spinach at the supermarket costs Rp 1,400 and a bunch of local
bananas Rp 8,000, scrawny local carrots Rp 3,450 per kilogram,
while nice and fresh looking imported carrots sell in comparison
for only Rp 3,900 per kg, imported delicious apples only cost Rp
3,900 per kg. Indonesian apples? Forget it! Even nice looking
papayas are imported, while they grow here but look unappetizing,
good for bird feed only!
Something is very wrong with the mentality of the officials
and the system here. In other countries farmers are subsidized
and get free seminars to improve their know-how and skills; here
it is gasoline that is subsidized, which actually comes from the
very own national soil but has to be refined in another country
and then be re-imported.
Why does Indonesia not have its own refinery for this? All
these are sad jokes! And now it is allowed to export raw rattan,
destroying the livelihoods of 60 percent of the people working
for the Cirebon rattan furniture industries. This is an utter
disregard of basic economic thinking. No country will export raw
materials for "small change", when it can produce finished goods
from it and thus give work and food to its people and get higher
revenues from taxes on the finished products.
Next we will import rattan furniture from China, made from our
own rattan. Where are the officials and policymakers of this
country who have some insight and foresight about causes and
effects and who can think a little further than to their next
"project" from which to siphon their percentage in profits?
They should work together for the benefit of the country and
the general population that in fact sustains their existence.
SUHARTO
Tangerang, Banten