"Importation of several fruits and vegetables will also no longer be restricted by a quota system."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government has signaled to stop the implementation of import quota system for garlic due to a low national production of the commodity.
"There will no longer be an import quota system for garlic," trade minister Gita Wirjawan said here on Wednesday after attending a coordination meeting at the office of the coordinating minister for economic affairs.
He said the decision was taken as domestic production could only supply up to five percent of the national demand.
"Importation of several fruits and vegetables will also no longer be restricted by a quota system," he added.
The ministry of trade and several other ministries including the ministry of agriculture and the office of the coordinating minister for economic affairs are still discussing the change in the policy for the importation of agricultural products.
The government is still facing problems with regard to the revision of the regulation for the importation of agricultural products but will continue discussing them intensively to find the best solution.
Import restriction mechanisms such as quota and tariff systems have so far been the government`s options but in 2015 Indonesia would enter a free market system in which tariff system will have to be dropped.
Several countries meanwhile have also questioned the quota system through the World Trade Organization so far.
(Reporting by Vicky Febrianto/H-YH/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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