JAKARTA, Dec 31 (Bernama-Antara) -- President Prabowo Subianto, in a meeting held on Monday, instructed his ministers to halt the importation of rice, salt, consumable sugar, and corn in 2025, Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, said, reported Indonesian News Agency (Antara).
Speaking to the press after the meeting at the State Palace, Zulkifli stated that no import quotas would be set for these commodities in 2025.
During the same meeting, the president also decided to raise the government's purchasing price (HPP) for unhusked rice from Rp6,000 (around US$0.37) to Rp6,500 (around US$0.40).
The benchmark purchase price (HAP) for corn was also increased from Rp5,000 (around US$0.31) to Rp5,500 (around US$0.34).
Zulkifli noted that this decision followed an extensive discussion during the meeting and also highlighted a historic decision in which the government would purchase all unhusked rice, rice and corn produced by farmers.
"Unhusked rice and corn produced by farmers will be accommodated at the prices set by the government," he affirmed.
He remarked that the farmers' harvests would be stored in warehouses owned by the state-run logistics company Bulog, primary cooperatives, and warehouses implementing a warehouse receipt system.
Prabowo chaired a meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday to discuss the government's food security programmes. The meeting lasted approximately two hours.
Under Prabowo's leadership, the government aims to achieve food self-sufficiency as one of its key objectives.
Earlier, in his inaugural speech on Oct 20, Prabowo expressed optimism that Indonesia would achieve food self-sufficiency within four to five years. - Bernama-Antara
