Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA Sulsel) - Agriculture Minister Suswono has said the next government must have the political will to support the Cacao National Movement (Gernas) and thus help improve cacao plantations.
"Indonesia is the world`s third largest cacao producer and, therefore, this mainstay product needs special attention from the government. The next government has to support the Cacao National Movement," Suswono said while speaking on the sidelines of the Cocoa Day celebrations here on Tuesday.
During a talk show focussing on the issue of the quality of cacao, the organizers popularized the Agriculture Minister`s Decree No. 67/2014 on Quality of Cacao and Cacao Bean Sales. Concerned officials and other stakeholders from the provinces of South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi attended the event.
The minister said that the Gernas movement has achieved only 30 percent of its target so far, and in order to realise it fully, it needed budgetary support as well as a political will that the next government must display.
In the past, Gernas received Rp1 trillion worth of funds to help its cause in the cacao producing regions.
However, with the financial support it has received so far, the Gernas cacao has only been able to achieve 30 percent of its target of improving the cacao plantation areas spread over 1.8 million hectares across the country.
"Therefore, production centers in several provinces catering to a mainstay commodity such as cacao, must be given priority in the future," Minister Suswonos aid.
Penerjemah : Nessr/Bustanuddin
"Indonesia is the world`s third largest cacao producer and, therefore, this mainstay product needs special attention from the government. The next government has to support the Cacao National Movement," Suswono said while speaking on the sidelines of the Cocoa Day celebrations here on Tuesday.
During a talk show focussing on the issue of the quality of cacao, the organizers popularized the Agriculture Minister`s Decree No. 67/2014 on Quality of Cacao and Cacao Bean Sales. Concerned officials and other stakeholders from the provinces of South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi attended the event.
The minister said that the Gernas movement has achieved only 30 percent of its target so far, and in order to realise it fully, it needed budgetary support as well as a political will that the next government must display.
In the past, Gernas received Rp1 trillion worth of funds to help its cause in the cacao producing regions.
However, with the financial support it has received so far, the Gernas cacao has only been able to achieve 30 percent of its target of improving the cacao plantation areas spread over 1.8 million hectares across the country.
"Therefore, production centers in several provinces catering to a mainstay commodity such as cacao, must be given priority in the future," Minister Suswonos aid.
Penerjemah : Nessr/Bustanuddin