Harvest Season Expected to Yield 14.5 Million Tons of Rice

Makassar, S Sulawesi, March 1 (Antara) - Indonesia is expected to produce 14.52 million tons of rice in the coming March-April grand harvest season, according to an agricultural official. "The grand harvest season is typically between March and April," Andi Muhammad Syakir, the head of the research and development center of the Ministry of Agriculture, said here, Monday. Syakir made his remarks upon reading out a written statement from Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, on the occasion of a simultaneous grand harvest of rice taking place across seven provinces in Indonesia. The seven provinces that harvested their rice on Monday are Central Java, East Java, North Sumatra, and South Sumatra, as well as South Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, and South Sulawesi. Minister Sulaiman attended the grand harvest in Cilacap District, Central Java, during the simultaneous harvest event, where he launched a new rice product, labeled "Premium 7,500 Rice," in an effort to reduce the number of players in the distribution channel. Other officials present at the Cilacap event were Indonesian Army Chief Gen Mulyono; Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo; Cilacap District Head Tatto Wuarto Pamuji; and a number of government officials from Mernek Village, Maos, Cilacap District, Central Java. The minister said the Premium 7,500 Rice was bought from farmers at the fair price of Rp4,000 per kilogram in unhusked form and sold to consumers as hulled premium rice for Rp7,500 per kilogram. "We are creating a new market by shortening the distribution channel for rice," remarked the minister. Overall, the Ministry of Agriculture has set a production target for unhulled rice at 76.226 tons, Andi Muhammad Syakir noted. "Rice production at the end of February this year is expected to reach 5 million tons," Syakir stated. Regarding Monday's simultaneous grand harvests, Syakir said the event was expected to serve as a reminder of the coming grand harvest period in March and April this year. "These harvest events are themed 'simultaneous harvest, stock adequate,'" he added. On the occasion, South Sulawesi Deputy Governor Agus Arifin Numang pointed out that the province, which was chosen to host one of the grand harvest ceremonies, had been a rice production hub for a long time.***3***