"I will encourage the House Commission IV to summon the trade minister to ask whether or not the planned sugar imports will harm the public`s interests," he said here on Thursday.
Marzuki said he believed the House Commission IV overseeing agriculture, forestry and plantation had complete data on the planned sugar imports.
The House Commission would ask whether or not the sugar imports were necessary and whether or not they would harm the public`s interests because the plan was closely related to low-income people, particularly sugarcane growers, he said.
What was more, the plan to import raw sugar came as many regions began to enter sugarcane harvest time, he said.
The government has allowed the trade ministry to issue permits for the import of 242,200 tons of raw sugar. The import sugar will be allocated to seven companies that have secured permits to import raw sugar.
Raw sugar price in the global market currently reaches US$548 per ton or around Rp5,000 a kg.
The planned sugar imports are believed to cause the price of sugar bought from sugarcane growers to fall, while in fact many areas in the country currently see sugarcane milling season.
(Uu.S012/H-NG/HAJM/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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