President Asks Rice Production Enhanced Over El Nino Threat
- VIVA/Aman Hasibuan.
Jakarta – The Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) lead the limited meeting on Increasing Production and Downstreaming of Food Products at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Monday.
Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Arief Prasetyo Adi stated that President Joko Widodo asked the agriculture minister to increase rice production, "We must take advantage of rain in some areas. We can still plant rice seeds and harvest them in the next 110 days," he said after attending a limited meeting chaired by President Widodo at the Jakarta Presidential Palace.
According to Adi, the president is paying greater attention to corn availability. Therefore, Bulog must be able to maintain the availability of corn and its price, especially the price of feed for livestock, to maintain the price of other commodities, such as eggs.
"Corn can be used for food and feed. The price of corn, as animal feed, will affect the price of chicken and eggs," he remarked.
Presiden Joko Widodo atau Jokowi
- VIVA/Yeni Lestari
He also said that the limited meeting also discussed the anticipation of El Nino and preparations for increasing food production and downstream.
El Nino is a natural phenomenon in which sea surface temperatures warm above normal in the central Pacific Ocean. This phenomenon can increase the potential for cloud growth in the central Pacific Ocean and reduce rainfall in Indonesia.
The limited meeting also discussed a low-cost funding scheme being prepared by the Ministry of Finance.
"There is a guarantee from the Minister of Finance and then it will be given to Himbara, Himbara will give it to SOEs in the food sector, one is Bulog, the other is ID FOOD,"
Regarding inflation, President Joko Widood asked his staff to keep it below the economic growth rate.
"Inflation last month was very stable at 3.5 percent, this must be maintained or if possible lowered. So that inflation remains below economic growth," Adi explained.
