Coordinating Minister Zulhas: Cassava Lartas Is In The Coordinating Ministry For The Economy

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan (Photo: Doc. VOI)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs (Menko Pangan) Zulkifli Hasan opened his voice regarding the plan to prohibit limited imports of cassava. Currently, the rules regarding cassava trading are under the command of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.

Initially, Zulhas, as he is familiarly called, admitted that he received protests from cassava farmers. This protest arose because farmers complained that many cassava imports were carried out by entrepreneurs, while domestic production was abundant.

Zulhas admitted that the cassava trading has not been regulated by the government. Therefore, the trade is still free. On the other hand, the export and import regulations for food are not under the control of the Coordinating Ministry for Food.

"I was scolded in my village. So the cassava is indeed food, but he is traded freely, there is no lartas yet. Well, to prohibit the export of the cassava not yet at the Coordinating Ministry for Food, it is still at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy," he said at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Food, Jakarta, Friday, May 16.

Zulhas also admitted that he had held a meeting related to the issue of this cassava trade with the Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman.

"We've had meetings often. Visited, demonstrated me, well, we're out, already. Security with us. It turns out that the key is still at the Coordinating Minister for the Economy," he said.

Therefore, Zulhas said that his party would propose through the mightiness of the Ministry of Trade so that the export and import regulations for cassava could be transferred to the Coordinating Ministry for Food.

"It's only now that we are taking care of the Ministry of Trade's proposal for maltas, which the food sector has been moved to us. But it's just taking care of it. Now it's still at the Minister of the Economy," he explained.