We sincerely hope import duties on fertilizers will be lowered because this will reduce production cost
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government is planning to exempt 30 types of products from import duties as part of efforts to preserve national food stability and resilience, a minister said.

"Tomorrow the tariff team will hold a plenary meeting to decide the matter. There are about 30 types of products related to food. In essence, we will always protect the public by paying attention to food-related industries at home," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said following a coordination meeting on food resilience here on Wednesday.

Also present at the meeting were Industry Minister MS Hidayat, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Agriculture Minister Suswono, Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan, State Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar, Deputy Agriculture Minister Bayu Krishnamurti, and Deputy Public Works Minister Hermanto Dardak.

Hatta said the plan is part of short-term policy. However, he declined to elaborate on which commodities will be exempted from import duties.

"Let us wait for the results of the meeting of the tariff team comprising officials from different ministries. The team will only discuss problems related to abnormal situation and we have a short time to overcome the problems," he said.

Meanwhile, Bayu Krishnamurti expressed hope fertilizers would be among the 30 types of commodities to be exempted from import duties.

"We sincerely hope import duties on fertilizers will be lowered because this will reduce production cost," he said.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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