BOEDIONO PROMISES TO DEVELOP PEOPLE'S AGRICULTURE

Purwakarta, June 20 (ANTARA) - Vice presidential candidate Boediono said, if elected, he would prioritize development of people's agriculture in order to improve the welfare of farmers' and agricultural laborers.

"The people's agriculture will be the main priority which has to be supported because it is directly related to the welfare of farmers and tea leave pickers," Boediono said when visiting a tea plantation at Neglasari village, Darangdan sub district, Purwakarta District, on Saturday.

According to Boediono, in a talk with Suwito, the owner of a tea plantation, he learned that there was no balance between the sales price and production cost of tea.

"We will find a solution to this problem, including how to lower fertilizer and pesticide prices in order to reduce tea production cost," he said.

By having lower fertilizer and pesticide prices, the salaries of workers, including tea leave pickers, could be increased in order to improve their welfare, he said.

Suwito, who owns a one-hectare tea plantation, said his tea production cost was Rp900 per kg, and he could afford to pay his laborers only around Rp6,000 to Rp10,000 per day per person.

Boediono, former governor of Bank Indonesia (BI, the country's central bank) asked tea leave pickers to keep working enthusiastically and pray for better economic conditions.

"It's important that you use your voting right, it's up to you to choose in accordance with your conscience," he told a crowd of tea leave pickers.
The presidential election will be held on July 8, 2009. The General Elections Commission (KPU) has set schedules for closed door campaigning from June 2 to 10, and mass rallies from June 11 to July 4, 2009.

Incumbent Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of the Democratic Party (PD) pairs with Boediono, and is competing with other candidates, namely Jusuf Kalla and his running mate retired General Wiranto, as well as with former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and Prabowo in the upcoming presidential race.