Minister Of Trade Says Food Self-Sufficiency Can Save Foreign Exchange Of IDR 84.29 Trillion

Minister of Trade Budi Santoso. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Minister of Trade Budi Santoso said food self-sufficiency can save foreign exchange of up to 5.2 billion US dollars or equivalent to Rp. 84.29 trillion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp. 16,210 per US dollar).

Budi estimates that savings can be achieved if self-sufficiency for four commodities, namely rice, sugar, salt, and corn, was successfully carried out.

Furthermore, Budi said the Ministry of Trade supports food self-sufficiency efforts, especially for the four commodities.

"If the self-sufficiency for the four commodities is carried out, we can save foreign exchange of around 5.2 billion US dollars. This savings can be used for other purposes, for example (providing) fertilizer for agriculture and fisheries needs," he said in an official statement, Wednesday, January 8.

As for the last five years, namely 2020 to 2024, Indonesia imports rice, sugar, salt and corn commodities with a fairly large value. Even so, in that period, the trend of importing sugar and salt tends to decrease.

Budi also highlighted a number of Indonesian food products that were able to show self-sufficiency success with a surplus directed at export. For example, palm oil (CPO), which has an export market share nationally of 11.2 percent.

Meanwhile, continued Budi, in East Java itself, CPO occupies the export position of number 1 food products followed by processed fish, sugar, milk, shallots, soybeans, corn, and chicken meat.

"For East Java, there has also been a surplus, namely for example for CPO commodities, processed fish, and a number of other commodities. This means that there have been many examples of commodities that have been self-sufficiency in food. So, if other commodities will also be self-sufficiency, I think we can do that," he said.