TRADE MINISTER INSPECTS SEAWEED FARMS IN SUMBAWA

Jakarta Forum - Mataram, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu inspected a seaweed cultivation location on Sumbawa island, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Monday.

On the occasion the minister was accompanied by NTB Governor Zainul Majdi.

"We want to obtain first hand information about the cultivation of seaweed as a commerically promising commodity in West Nusa Tenggara," Pangestu said before leaving Mataram for Sumbawa island to inspect the seaweed farms on Monday.

She said her inspection of seaweed cultivation activity in Sumbawa island had to do with the government`s efforts to reach national sugar, rice, and meat self-sufficiency in 2014.

"We are keenly interested in NTB`s commercially promising commodities, especially in Sumbawa island, and therefore we would like to have first hand information about it," Pangestu said.

Before leaving for Sumbawa island, the trade minister had a coordination meeting with Governor Zainul Majdi at his office in Mataram.

After the meeting, Pangestu said the government would soon revitalize existing warehouses where various vital commodities could be kept to protect their economic value.

"The government deems it necessary to revitalize existing warehouses as soon as possible so that the economic value of premier commodities can be preserved," Pangestu said.

At the coordination meeting, Governor Zainul Majdi explained the potentials of the province`s premier commodities and the local government`s effort to optimize the region`s capacity to produce them.

Governor Zainul Majdi explained that West Nusa Tenggara had commercially viable commodities in the agriculture, fisheries, maritime, mining and tourism sectors.

Commenting on the governor`s explanations, the trade minister said she was pleased and satisfied with the province`s efforts to maintain it capacity to produce premier commodities and expressed hope that they would be managed optimally for the local people`s welfare.

"At the coordination meeting, I told the West Nusa Tenggara governor to protect the economic value of the commodities, warehouses in the region should be revitalized and the commodity prices should be kept stable ," Pangestu said.

She said government-owned warehouses managed by the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and regional administrations would be revitalized during the next three year to stockpil;e commercially promising commodities.

Source: Antara News

Posted in: agriculture,fisheries,Mari Elka Pangestu,maritime,Mataram,mining,reach national sugar,rice,Sumbawa island,tourism sectors,Trade Minister,West Nusa Tenggara