President Jokowi Attends Rice Harvest in Ngawi, East Java

President Jokowi attends rice harvest in Kartoharjo village, Ngawi regency, East Java province, Saturday (03/11). Photo by: PR of Cabinet Secretariat/Rahmat.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Saturday (03/11) attended rice harvest in Kartoharjo village, Ngawi regency, East Java province.

“After [the harvest] in Kebumen yesterday, we are now attending the harvest in Ngawi regency, East Java province. I have seen the differences in terms of productivity per hectare. Here, the productivity level has reached 10.5 tons per hectare, some have reached 8 tons per hectare. Yesterday, we saw that the productivity level was 5.5 to 6 [tons per hectare],” the President told the journalists.

The President said that the Government will continue to take measures to ensure that the unhusked rice price for farmers does not decline during the harvest season.

“Surely, the price of unhusked rice must be determined immediately to prevent the lower price due to the harvest season in many regions. The [National] Food Agency will announce it soon, so that the Bulog’s purchases become clear in terms of the GKP [harvested dry unhusked rice],” the President said.

The President went on to say that the Government through the National Food Agency is currently recalculating the Government’s basic prices (HPP) for unhusked rice and rice so that prices at the level of farmers, traders and consumers are at the fair level. One component of the calculation, the President added, is the farmers’ production cost.

On that occasion, the President urged all farmers in Indonesia to immediately plant rice after the harvest.

“I urge all farmers in the country to immediately cultivate the land after the harvest, without any delay, because the water supply is available and we are in the rainy season,” the President remarked.

(AIT/UN) (RI/LW)