January 12, 2011

Indonesia to raise 2011 food production by 5%

The Indonesian Agriculture Ministry has set the target of increasing food production by 5% this year because of the need to offset past failures in harvest.

"This is what we're planning to formulate, namely a food production increase by 5%. The key is that what has been planned must not fail to be realised as in 2010 there were no massive harvest failures," Deputy Agriculture Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said Monday (Jan 10).

According to Krisnamurthi, the 5% production increase target was based on an instruction from the president that the agricultural sector must increase production, something that had prompted the ministry to formulate the planning.

In line with the policy, Krisnamurthi added the ministry would hold a meeting with all regional governments from all over Indonesia to prepare for rapid-moving units to respond to small matters but also those which might thwart agricultural production.

"The key is how we can respond to each and every cause of failure, no matter how small they may be. We'll never let high precipitation wreak havoc with harvests. So, these sorts of things are of local by their nature yet in need of quick support," he said.

In this regard, he added there should be moving units to deal with issues that might disturb agricultural production.

"If we should wipe them out, then we'll wipe them out and fast get the replacement. In our programmes, there are also (measures) to replace all of the seeds, all of the fertilisers and the credits and replenish the lost incomes," he said.

The vice-agriculture minister said that for 2011 the government would strengthen food production basis as the current food crises are real threats that have affected inflation all over the world.

Food-triggered inflation may even undermine the global economic growth, he pointed out.