"I hope the extreme weather will not affect our food production," he said at a meeting with agriculture department heads from all districts/cities in Central Java here Thursday.
He asked all the officials at the meeting to explain the condition of food provision from each region in Central Java province.
According to him, the meeting was an anticipation action from the government to avoid lack of information about food provision in Central Java.
"I want to hear the information directly from the officials," he said.
He said he was also concerned about conversion of agricultural lands in certain parts of Central Java because it would also affect food production.
Bibit reminded the State Logistics Agency (BULOG) to begin buying up farmers` unhulled rice this January.
"Rice producing regions in Central Java harvest the staple in the January-March period," Bibit said.
Meanwhile, Aris Boediono, the Central Java Head of Agriculture Department, said the province`s rice production in January 2011 could prove to be higher than in a similar period last year.
"In January this year, there may be a rice production surplus of about 163,000 tons," he said.
Rice production in the February-March period was estimated to reach 600,000 tons -700,000 tons, he said.
(Uu.KR-FNY/HAJM//H-YH/P003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
