JAKARTA - Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) researcher Sugiyono Madelan Ibrahim, highlighted Indonesia's readiness to receive a responsibility relay as Chair of ASEAN 2023 from Cambodia. According to him, food issues are important things that must be of concern to every country.
Sugiyono said there was a change in global food production and trade that had improved. However, that changes when there is a threat of a global food crisis caused by the Ukraine-Russian war.
"The problem is that when there is a war of Ukraine, we and other countries import a lot of wheat. The price has increased because the number of wheat has decreased. Some must substitution it or at least complement it. That's where the problem is, so the price is high," said Sugiyono, Saturday, November 12. The lecturer at Mercu Buana University, assesses that Indonesia's position as chairman in ASEAN can mitigate the food crisis so that it does not have a serious impact on ASEAN countries. Indonesia, he said, could seek a path of food distribution that is not burdensome.
"So Indonesia's role if it becomes chairman, of course, means that at least it can't regulate between ASEAN so that it doesn't always trade. At least it helps to borrow and borrow during a food crisis," he said.
According to Sugiyono, there is a tendency for each country to limit the issuance of food by imposing a protection policy to ensure the adequacy of their respective domestic foods.
"But if everyone holds back, there really is a crisis," he continued.
Therefore, he hopes that Indonesia will be able to play a role in regulating food distribution so that there is no shortage in ASEAN.
"Indonesia can play there because it has the ability and experience of it. Some countries, if they rely on trade alone, can't run, it can be dangerous because of high prices," he concluded. Previously, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, expressed Indonesia's readiness to accept the relay of responsibility as Chair of ASEAN 2023 from Cambodia.
"Continuing the G20 Presidency, Indonesia's chairmanship in ASEAN will focus on handling multidimensional crises such as food, energy and financial crises," said the Golkar chairman.
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