"If our farmers know that imported rice enters West Nusa Tenggara they will be reluctant to grow rice," the governor said.Mataram, W Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - West Nusa Tenggara Governor TGH M Zainul Majdi has rejected rice imports from Vietnam.
"I will not allow imported rice to enter West Nusa Tenggara," he said here on Monday.
If imported rice is allowed to enter the province it will harm local farmers because it will discourage them to plant rice, he said.
"If our farmers know that imported rice enters West Nusa Tenggara they will be reluctant to grow rice," he said.
Therefore, he also turned down a request from the state logistics board (Bulog) to designate Lembar port in West Lombok district as a transit point for 30 thousand tons of rice from Vietnam.
"I stress that I will not allow the unloading of imported rice from Vietnam at Lembar port, West Lombok," he said.
He said he was surprised at the Bulogs decision to designate the port as a transit point for ships carrying imported rice from Vietnam.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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