Jakarta – Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman has said the government is striving to control food imports and has saved a significant amount of foreign exchange reserves ahead of the one-year anniversary of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration.

"[...] the government has saved Rp 50 trillion [US$3.4 billion] worth of foreign exchange reserves, thanks to its hard work," Amran said as quoted by kompas.com. The minister was speaking after performing Idul Adha prayers at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta on Thursday.

He added that President Jokowi had given the government directives to protect Indonesian farmers and called on the government to reinforce exports.

Praising the directives, Amran said Indonesia had imported no rice this year, the result, he claimed, of coordination between the Agriculture Ministry and other ministries, including the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry and the Trade Ministry, as well as the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), to control rice imports.

"In 1998, rice imports reached 7.1 million tons, in the same situation we are facing now, namely a strong El Niqo. We have not yet imported any rice so far despite again facing El Niqo with an intensity at least as strong as, if not stronger than, in 1998," said Amran.

Studies show that El Niqo leads to massive drought that ruins harvests and boosts food imports.

Amran further explained that before this year's Ramadan fasting month, the government had planned to export shallots and currently, Indonesia had exported around 2,000 tons of shallots.

"We have had an adequate supply of shallots. This year, we don't need to import shallots and instead, we are exporting this commodity," said Amran.

It is reported that Indonesia is also exporting corn, with exports reaching around 400,000 tons, and with lower imports of the vegetable.(ags/ebf)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/09/24/govt-lauds-food-import-control-success.html