"To realize the ASEAN Economic Community 2015, there are a lot of trade distortions in some countries that have to be straightened out," the trade minister said here on Saturday.
Gita said the distortions were difficult to eliminate because the Southeast Asian countries till worried about the context of the integration of economic zones.
According to him, the trade policy distortions could change the number of trade because of partiality that exceeds the limit of one sector.
"It is rather difficult to eliminate the distortions because
there are worries in the economic zones," he said.
To reduce the distortions, the minister said the government would focus on the improvement of national products` competitiveness, and to increase the offering of agricultural products from the country around Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Rector of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) Herry Suhardiyanto said other ASEAN countries such as Thailand and the Philippines would also prepare a special strategy for the trade of agricultural products when the economic integration is implemented.
"The government, business circle, and other parties should continue to increase the competitiveness of agricultural products," the IPB rector said.
(O001/F001)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
