Central Java farmers say no to rice imports

Semarang, NU Online
The Central Java Association of Indonesian Farmers (HKTI) firmly rejected the government`s rice imports which are scheduled to arrive in Indonesia this month, because the plan would pose a threat to the life of the farmers.

"The rice growers have only recently enjoyed their grand harvest. The price of rice is good, which benefits the growers. Imported rice would only harm the interest of the farmers," HKTI chairman Gatot Aji Sutopo said here on Friday.

"Actually Indonesia has some regions with a rice surplus, like Central Java, which in a single year may collect a surplus of up to 1.5 tons" he said.

And also in a year, the province would also produce 8.5 tons of dried unhulled rice, which is the equivalent of five million tons of rice, which include 3.5 million tons for the people of the province, and the remaining 1.5 million tons sent to other parts of the country based on local market demands.

Unfortunately, Gatot added, the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) which was supposed to buy and distribute rice to a number of regions suffering from a rice shortage, has not been playing the role properly.

"Bulog refused to play such role for fear of a loss and has no money to buy rice at market price," he said.

He also said that the weak role is due to the fact that Bulog is merely a public enterprise (Perum). Therefore, Bulog should become a non-departmental government institution (LPND), and as such enjoys government subsidy.

"As an LPND, Bulog could obviously help the farmers by purchasing their rice and distribute it to food shortage prone regions. If it has no money, it only has to ask it from the government," he said.

Gatot added that besides opposing rice imports, HKTI along withe the Central Java Governor has also agreed to ban imported rice carrying trucks from passing Central Java. (ant/ind)