GOVT CONTINUES TO PROMOTE LOCAL FRUITS

 

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 13 (Antara) -  The Car-Free Day  on Thamrin Street in Central Jakarta's business and office district was a special day on Sunday, Aug 13, when it also served as a 'free fruit day' for local fruit lovers.          The appetite of joggers, bikers and other Jakartans who took morning walks on the Thamrin street was therefore arouse when they were offered to taste different local fruits for free such as mango, papaya and durian.         Jakarta residents and other visitors to Thamrin were able to taste different Indonesian local fruits for free as Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman during the Car-Free-Day on Sunday launched  a one-day 'love local fruit' campaign in the area.           "Loving local products is the same as loving (the country's) Red and White (flag), loving the people, loving the country and loving the farmers," he said.          Amran called on the people to consume local fruits. Local fruits taste delicious. There are abundant local fruits. Consuming them will benefit the local farmers. Among the local fruits which were promoted and offered for free to the people were banana, salak (snakeskin fruit), orange,  Balinese orange, mango and durian.

EXPERTS HAIL BAN ON FRUIT IMPORT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 11 (Antara) - Different quarters, including experts, hail the Indonesia's decision to impose a six-month ban on the importation of 13 horticultural products, despite the fact that the United States has filed a complaint with the WTO.          The government, as per January-June 2013, has imposed a ban on the importation of durian, banana, pineapple and a restriction on the importation of melon, mango, papaya, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, peppers, orchids, chrysanthemums and heliconia flowers in an effort to protect local growers and boost the country's horticultural production.          "The government has decided to impose a ban on the importation of horticultural commodities, including fruits and vegetables in a sustainable way because local farmers always have  difficulties marketing their commodities during grand harvest time," Professor Dewa Ngurah Suprapta of the Denpasar-based Udayana University said on Sunday.          The same support also came from the Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI). It said the government's decision to ban fruit imports in six months' time was is very constructive move to boost the spirit of local fruit growers.          "The decision set forth in the joint regulation of the agriculture minister and the trade minister number 60/2012 is praiseworthy," HKTI chief for trade Ismet Hasan Putro said.