Rice consumption can be reduced in case the government intervenes. Without the intervention, the per capita rice consumption will reach 91.2 kilograms per year.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Agriculture Ministry has set itself the target of lowering national per capita rice consumption by 7 percent to 85 kilograms by 2024.

Rice consumption will be reduced by 1.77 million tons, worth Rp17.78 trillion, secretary of the Food Security Board of the Agriculture Ministry, Riwantoro, said here on Wednesday.

“Rice consumption can be reduced in case the government intervenes. Without the intervention, the per capita rice consumption will reach 91.2 kilograms per year," he said during a discussion with the Agriculture Journalists Forum (Forwatan) here.

The per capita rice consumption is projected to reach an average of 92.9 kilograms in 2020 compared to 94.9 kilogram a year earlier, he said.

“We are targeting to lower rice consumption. In contract, the consumption of other local foods will increase. The opportunity for (food) diversification is wide open, since the public wants to lead a healthy life, and that is a business opportunity for small and medium businesses,” he added.

He said the Food Security Board has medium- and long-term strategies to realize food diversification.

The food diversification is aimed at anticipating the food crisis, providing alternative food, encouraging local economy, and creating healthy human resources to reduce dependence on rice consumption, he elaborated.

Currently, each province is focusing on producing local food other than rice, he said adding, there are six food commodities which can serve as substitutes for rice, namely, cassava, corn, sago, banana, potato, and sorghum.

Meanwhile, chief of the Economics Department of IPB University, Dr. Sahara, said the COVID-19 pandemic has provided the right momentum to accelerate the food diversification program.

“Therefore, the food pattern must be changed, and rice is not the only carbohydrate source. So far, the government has been focusing more on developing rice (farming). In fact, Indonesia is endowed with abundant food varieties,” he said.

Indonesia now has 77 kinds of carbohydrate-rich foods, 75 kinds of protein-rich foods, 110 kinds of spices and seasoning, 389 kinds of fruits, 226 kinds of vegetables, 26 kinds of legumes, and 40 kinds of beverage materials, he added.

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Translator: Subagyo/Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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