"If the rice production here is good, we can export it because the domestic stock is sufficient," he said during a working visit to Cialam Jaya Village, Konda Sub-District, South Konawe District, on Saturday.
Minister Yasin Limpo and his entourage made a working visit to Cialam Jaya Village, accompanied by Southeast Sulawesi Governor Ali Mazi and South Konawe Regent Surunudin Dangga.
The minister said that the price of rice in Indonesia which stands at Rp12,000 per kilogram is the second cheapest in the world. Meanwhile, the price of rice in Japan has reached Rp47,000, the United States Rp62,000, Singapore Rp29,000, Malaysia Rp22,000 per kilogram.
The minister said that Southeast Sulawesi can export rice if the rice production has good quality.
Rice exports can be carried out since the government has sufficient rice stocks and can meet domestic needs for the next two years.
"Now, our rice stock is 10.2 million tons. I hope this amount can meet the needs for two years. I will control this stock so we can continue to prepare it for the people," he said.
However, before rice is exported, he stressed the need for rice processing to improve its quality.
"The quality of rice must be improved so that it becomes premium rice. To improve the quality, it is necessary to repair water machines, machines to whiten rice and others. It has a certain economy of scale, so this is not detrimental," he said.
Meanwhile, Southeast Sulawesi Governor Ali Mazi said food crop commodities, especially rice, had a surplus since 2019, it is evident that in 2021 the provincial government had sent 1,000 tons of rice to North Sulawesi through the State Logistics Agency.
This, he said, shows that Southeast Sulawesi Province can become one of the national food barns, especially in the central and eastern regions of Indonesia.
"We hope that rice production from Southeast Sulawesi in the future will not only maintain the availability of regional food but also the availability of national food in facing global challenges such as uncertain climate change and the threat of a food crisis," he said.
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Translator: Katriana
Editor: Suharto
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