Indonesia ensures food supply in fasting month, Eid-el-Fitr

A vendor selling vegetables wait for customers at his stall in a local market in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 1, 2010. (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)
Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Suswono said on Monday that the government will guarantee food supply during the Islamic festivities of fasting month and Eid-el-Fitr.

"Even though we have been experiencing decreasing production which in turn raising food prices recently due to prolonged rainy season, based on our evaluation, our food supply is secured during fasting month and Eid-el-Fitr," Suswono told a parliamentary hearing.

According to Suswono, demand of rice, chicken and egg could be fulfilled by domestic production.

He said that, based on the ministry's evaluation, Indonesia will have rice surplus of 5.64 million tons until the end of this year.

Suswono said that the government has taken various steps to increase rice production, the main food for most Indonesians.

"We accelerate seeds distribution to areas hit by aphis, forming a task force on market operation control, relocating rice stock to stabilize price and encouraging local governments to buy rice from farmers," he said.

Meanwhile, he said, Indonesia still has to import certain commodities to fulfill increasing demand.

"For beef, red chilly and red onion, we have to partially import," he said.

According to Suswono, increasing price of certain commodities due to lack of production caused by prolonged rainy season was exacerbated by speculative actions.

Source: Xinhua