"We expect them to be issued in January, and in fact we have set the target of the third or fourth week in accordance with the schedule. We`ll discuss them with all (the economic ministers) tomorrow (Friday)," Economic Affairs Coordinating Minister Hatta Rajasa said at his office here.
Rajasa explained that the aim of the Inpres among other is to provide for flexibility for the agricultural minister in responding to the extreme climate change that have brought about changes on planting seasons, pest attacks or climate-related destruction of agricultural land.
"Flexibility is certainly needed by the agricultural minister in taking emergency steps as there should be response for that," Minister Rajasa pointed out.
Meanwhile the other Inpres will be for giving flexibility to the state logistics company Bulog in supplying or purchasing the rice produced by farmers, for all varieties of rice, not just some certain varieties, he added,
When the two Inpres have already been issued, according to the minister, then the government will re-formulate the Inpres on anticipating climate change. "This really is exceptional, the meteorology and geophysics agency has predicted (the seasons) would continue to be wet, something we need to anticipate," he said.
Minister Rajasa emphasized that Indonesia should have a policy response and there would not be other choice but taking maximum efforts on tackling impacts from climate change on food production.
The Indonesian government, he added, has allocated a contingency fund of 3.0 trillion rupiahs for stabilizing food production in the anticipation of impacts from pest attacks or extreme weather.(*)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
