President Jokowi: No Rice Imports This Year

President Jokowi rides rice transplanter in Trenggalek regency, East Java province, Tuesday (30/11). (Photo by: Presidential Secretariat/Laily Rachev)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo affirmed that national rice stock is sufficient so that the government has not imported rice this year.

“This year, up until today, we have not imported rice. In fact, we have adequate stock of rice,” the President said that after joining farmers planted rice, in Buluagung village, Karangan district, Trenggalek regency, East Java province, Tuesday (30/11).

Before planting rice on a 75-hectare plot of land, the Head of State inaugurated Tugu Dam in Trenggalek regency and Gongseng Dam in Bojonegoro regency. The Dams are expected to increase crop yield and improve farmers’ welfare.

“With the construction of Tugu Dam, water will be channeled to people’s paddy field so you can have three harvest seasons and one palawija [secondary crops] harvest. Thus, it will drastically increase productivity of paddy field in Trenggalek regency,” he said.

The President went on to say that crop yield of East Java province is amounted to 5.7 million tons and used to meet the needs of the province and to supply other provinces. In addition, a number of newly-inaugurated dams also contribute to the increase in national crop yield.

On that occasion, President Jokowi ordered Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo to address problems faced by farmers, be it the issue of fertilizer or agricultural crop production tools. The President added that the problems will be discussed in Jakarta so that the problems can be solved as soon as possible. (TGH/UN) (RAS/MMB)