Minister Of Agriculture: 212 Naughty Rice Producers Must Be Dealt With Firmly

Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman. ANTARA/Harianto

MAKASSAR - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman said 212 rogue rice producers who did not meet quality, quality and volume standards based on the findings of the Ministry of Agriculture together with the Food Task Force must be dealt with firmly in order to provide a deterrent effect.

Amran said all the findings had been submitted to the National Police Chief, the Food Task Force and the Attorney General to be immediately processed legally so as not to harm the wider community and Indonesian farmers.

"Hopefully the legal process against violations will run quickly and decisively in order to have a deterrent effect on rogue rice producers who play in the national staple food sector," he said.

"Hopefully this will be processed quickly. We have received the report on the 10th (July) two days ago, the investigation has begun, we hope this will be dealt with firmly," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, July 12.

Dari laporan yang diterima pada 10 Juli lalu, kata Amran, proses pemeriksaan terhadap para produsen sudah dimulai aparat kepolisian, dan Kementerian Agricultural (Kementan) terus memantau perkembangan agar deviasi ini tidak berulang di masa mendatang.

He said the mode of violation found included packaging incompatibility, in which it was written 5 kilograms (kg) but only contained 4.5 kg, as well as counterfeiting the premium and medium rice quality categories.

Community losses due to fraudulent practices are estimated at IDR 99.35 trillion every year, which if allowed can reach IDR 500 trillion to IDR 1,000 trillion in five to ten years.

Such practices are the same as deceiving the people, Amran said, asserting. Like selling 24 carat gold, which is actually only 18 carats, so it is very detrimental to the community.

"Some 86 percent say this is premium even though it is ordinary rice. Then they say medium even though rice is ordinary. What does that mean? 1 kilo can be at a difference of Rp. 2,000 to Rp. 3,000 per kilogram. We exemplify gold, 24 carat gold is written, but in fact it is 18 carats," he said.

"It is important for all rice business actors to comply with regulations, because the food sector concerns the livelihoods of 286 million Indonesians," Amran said, emphasizing.

"To other brothers and sisters, rice entrepreneurs throughout Indonesia, don't do the same thing. Please sell rice according to the predetermined standards," he said.