The sugarcane growers grouped in the Association of Indonesian Sugarcane Farmers (APTRI) hailed among others from West Java, Central Java, East Java, Lampung and North Sumatra provinces.
They believed national sugar stocks were still enough to meet consumption until May 2012.
"The plan to import sugar is not realistic because it is not based on the real sugar stocks," APTRI Chairman Soemitro Samadikoen said.
The association also asked the government to issue policies which served sugarcane growers` interests, including maintaining presidential regulation number 57 of 2004 which declared sugar as goods under surveillance.
It said sugarcane growers were currently encountered with unfavorable policies including the trade minister`s decree number 111 of 2009 which it said had led to the rampant circulation of white refined sugar (crystal sugar.
APTRI said white refined sugar which was supposed to meet demand from food and beverage manufacturers had penetrated the domestic market at the expense of local sugarcane growers.
"Based on our findings from several parts of Indonesia, refined sugar produced by PT Makassar Tene and bearing Bola Manis brand is widely circulating in the market," APTRI Deputy Secretary General Nur Khabsyin said.
The association urged the government to stop the circulation of refined sugar in the market and take firm measures against those involved in it.
"The circulation of refined sugar also has an adverse impact on the sugar trade system as a whole," he said.
At the rally the sugarcane farmers also asked the government not to issue permits for the construction of new sugar mills.
"But if the government insists on licencing new sugar mills, APTRI will ask the new sugar mills to mill smallholder sugarcane rather than raw sugar," Soemitro said.
(Uu.S012/HAJM/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
