Antara News, Monday, January 18, 2010 23:32 WIB
Ngawi (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on central as well as local leaders to listen to farmers who have been the backbone of rural economy so far.
He made the request at a meeting with hundreds of farmers of Karangwetan village in the subdistrict of Geneng, Ngawi, East Java on Monday.
President Yudhoyono was on the way to Madiun, East Java, when he met with the farmers from five farmer groups of Karangwetan.
The president and entourage sat on bamboo benches during the meeting held in a field in the middle of rice farms.
Before starting the dialogue President Yudhoyono asked onlookers who stayed quite a distance from him to get close to him and they responded the request enthusiastically by competing for a place nearest to him.
The head of the Karangwetan village, Winarto, said in a local Javanese language that the rice fields in the village of 3,000 population reached 130 hectares.
The head of one of the farmer groups on the occasion asked for handtractors and water pumps to help irrigation in the village.
The head of other groups meanwhile asked the head of state to address the price of unhulled rice which kept fluctuating.
President Yudhoyono flanked by first lady Mrs Ani Yudhoyono and his son Edhie Baskoro said the government had always paid much attention to agricultural sector by striving to increase rice production, irrigation development, fertilizer supply, subsidy and other kinds of assistance.
"It has been done and will be continued so that the agriculture will be better and the welfare improved," he said.
Regarding the price of unhulled rice he said the government had always increased the purchase price of rice every year.
He said the purchase price set by the government may not be too high because if it is it would make people unable to buy it but it must not also be too low so that the farmers would not suffer.
"We have always set the price so that it is matched so that farmers get the reasonable price while people could still afford it," he said.
President Yudhoyono called on all local leaders to listen to their complaints and seek a way out to help them.
The head of state on the occasion extended Rp25 million to each of the farmer groups to be used for increasing rice production. "Please distribute it well," he said.
After the dialogue the President shook hands with the farmers and got on the car to continue his journey to Madiun.
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