President Reitrates Resolve to Achieve Self-Sufficiency in Food

Ngawi, East Java (Antara) - President Joko Widodo visited farmers in Ngawi, East Java, on Saturday during which he reiterated his government\'s target of achieving self-sufficiency in food in three years. \"We no longer want to import rice. If we are already self-sufficient, we will no longer need to import sugar or soybean either,\" he said. In connection with the program, he said the government plans to distribute agricultural equipment to 500 districts and cities across the country this year to boost production. President Joko Widido also awarded 852 tractors and 377 pumps to farmers in Ngawi. To speed up the distribution of fertilizers and seeds, President Joko Widodo said he plans to scrap the current bidding system. \"It takes 45 days to two months for bidding to conclude, which makes the absorption of seeds and fertilizers low. We will test this by distributing seeds and fertilizers without using a bidding system,\" he said. During the visit to Ngawi, the President was accompanied by Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, East Java Governor Soekarwo and Ngawi District Head Budi Sulistiono. (*)