We are still profitable. Thank God, our people, mainly farmers, are still producing rice and so far, the price has not increased. Hopefully, the price will not increase. We have sufficient stockJakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has lauded the Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, and Indonesian farmers for maintaining the availability of food commodities, especially rice, and keeping food prices stable.
Thanks to Limpo's hard work, Indonesia has not imported rice in the past three years, he highlighted.
"We used to import 1.5 million tons to 2 million tons of rice. Thanks Minister Limpo," he remarked at the commemoration of the 29th National Family Day in Medan, South Sumatra, on Thursday.
The President also praised Indonesian farmers for their contribution to maintaining food availability for the community in the midst of the turmoil in the world food supply chain due to the military conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Global food prices have increased by 30–50 percent due to supply constraints caused by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, he noted. However, Indonesia has been lucky since its farmers have continued to produce food in an effort to meet domestic needs.
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"We are still profitable. Thank God, our people, mainly farmers, are still producing rice and so far, the price has not increased. Hopefully, the price will not increase. We have sufficient stock," he added.
Based on information provided by the Agriculture Ministry, national rice production reached 31.31 million tons in 2019, increased to 31.36 million tons in 2020, and was recorded at 31.33 million tons in 2021.
Widodo said he was also grateful for the availability of rice and the stability in its price in Indonesia at a time when other countries in Africa and Asia are starting to face food shortages, even starvation, due to stagnating supply of food.
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The President then emphasized the importance of food self-sufficiency for the Indonesian people. He invited all regional heads to utilize the smallest parcel of land in their areas to plant food seeds to cater to daily food needs.
"Do not let empty land go to waste. Use it for the nutritional intake of our children. That is very important because our children today are the determinants of Indonesia's future," he reminded.
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Meanwhile, Minister Limpo said that Indonesia has sufficient stocks of rice for 2022.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, a researcher from the University of Indonesia's Institute for Economic and Community Research (LPEM), Riyanto, said the sufficient stock of rice is evidence of the success of the government and the Minister of Agriculture in completing all directives and orders from President Widodo.
"Indonesia used to import rice. However, when I was with Minister Limpo, I saw that Indonesia's stock of rice was sufficient, or even a surplus. Everything was under control in the last three years," he stated.
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Translator: Indra Arief P, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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