President Harvests Rice In Madiun

Madiun, East Java, Dec 11 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono planted and harvested rice in Madiun, East Java, on Tuesday. "If we want to have a good harvest, we should take care of the crops," said the president in front of hundreds of farmers at a 400-hectare rice field. The president, the First Lady, Ani Yudhoyono, the Governor of East Java, Soekarwo, and a number of cabinet ministers carried out the grand harvest. The head of state appreciated the good harvest in Madiun. "I am glad that the farmers are excited about their harvest. When the harvest is poor due to floods, the farmers are unhappy. When that happens, even I become unhappy," said the president. According to him, the East Java province has contributed a significant amount to the country�s rice reserves, and they should maintain the level of rice reserves in the country. After conducting the grand harvest, the president had a dialogue session with the local farmers. During the dialogue session, Suharno, one of the farmers, requested President Yudhoyono to accelerate the development of the Kresek dam, to prevent Bojonegoro and Lamongan from getting flooded.