Opponent China, Trade Deficit Fruit Rp5.4 T

Fruit imports from China dominate the market because prices are cheaper.

Ministry of Agriculture recorded a trade deficit between Indonesia and China in the sector, horticultural products, especially fruits. No half-hearted, that deficits occurred in the range up to U.S. $ 600 million or equivalent to Rp 5, 4 trillion.
As is known, the government decided to review the free trade agreement of the ASEAN-China (ACFTA) which was considered too favorable State Bamboo Curtain. The assessment is limited to bilateral trade between China-RI.
"Trade with China in terms of food, farming and horticulture in deficit. The most widely deficit, or up to U.S. $ 600 million is horticulture, particularly fruits, like oranges, pears, or fruit that does not exist, so they have to import," said Agriculture Minister in the office Suswono Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs, Jakarta, Monday, April 18, 2011.
Suswono explained, the flood of Chinese fruit products because the price of imported fruit offered can not be rivaled by the local fruits. In fact, in terms of quality, the domestic fruit is actually no less than the imported fruit.
In fact, China imported fruit quality generally have been reduced because the fruit was already undergoing a process of cooling the storage space.
According Suswono, the only way for local fruit products can compete with imported fruit is to fix the domestic market, so that could bring farmers and buyers through farmers' markets. With these systems is expected that during the distribution chain is too long and often cause prices to rise, can be eliminated.
Ministry of Agriculture actually has enabled farmers' market in some areas. But admittedly, the program has not been functioning well, so there needs revitalization efforts.
Suswono hope to plot the distribution of the shorter, the emergence of agricultural commodity price hikes, especially onions and peppers that had horrendous Indonesia, will not be repeated.
"Farmers can come there (farmers market). He can sell, for example Rp30 to Rp40 thousand and thousands of consumers can directly come to buy at a price - for example Rp40 thousand not 100 thousand, is not mutual benefit," said Minister of Agriculture.