Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Agriculture Ministry has predicted that the country`s maize production surplus in 2011 would reach 2.6 million tons of dry maize, a senior official said.

Director General for Food Crops at the Agriculture Ministry Udhoro Kasih Anggoro said here on Thursday that the prediction was based on the forecast I figure of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) for 2011.

Based on the BPS forecast I figure, the country`s maize production this year was estimated at 19.7 million tons of dry maize.

"The need for maize is about 13.2 million tons of hulled dry maize with a value depreciation of about 7-8 percent. This would leave a stock of 2.6 million tons of dry maize," he said.

He said that the need of people for maize continued to increase in line with the increase in number of population and their per capita income.

Maize plantation is being focused in Gorontalo province. The province is being developed as a maze producing center. For this purposes, Gorontalo has also been selected to host the World Maize Conference (WMC)in 2012.

Gorontalo Governor Gusnar Ismail said recently that would be held in Gorontalo for its success in developing maize over the last nine years.

With this conference, Gorontalo which has chosen maize as its branding is expected to gain more progress and meet the world market.
(Uu.A014/HAJM/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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