Padi Basmati, RI Jajaki Kerja Sama dengan Sudan dan Arab Saudi
Basmati Rice, RI Seeks Cooperation with Sudan and Saudi Arabia
Reporter : Gusmiati Waris
Editor : Heru S Winarno
Translator : Parulian Manalu
Jakarta (B2B) - Pemerintah Indonesia menjajaki kerjasama pengembangan padi jenis Basmati dengan dua negara di Timur Tengah yaitu Sudan dan Arab Saudi melalui pola kerja sama trilateral. Selain itu, pemerintah Indonesia juga membahas rencana membuka Atase Pertanian untuk kawasan Timur Tengah dan Afrika serta pemanfaatan peluang pasar buah, sayur dan minyak sawit Indonesia di Timur Tengah.
”Melalui kerja sama trilateral ini, Arab Saudi menyediakan investasi, Sudan menyediakan lahan, dan Indonesia memberikan teknologi budi daya pengembangan padi,” kata Menteri Pertanian Suswono di Jakarta, Senin (29/4) menjelaskan hasil lawatannya ke Timur Tengah pada 21-26 April 2013.
Menurut Suswono, saat bertemu Wakil Ketua Kamar Dagang dan Industri (Kadin) Arab Saudi, Mohammed M bin Siddiq di Jeddah, pihak Arab Saudi menyatakan minatnya untuk berinvestasi di bidang tanaman pangan, khususnya budidaya padi jenis Basmati.
"Untuk investasi tanaman pangan khususnya budidaya padi, pihak Arab Saudi berkeinginan untuk memperoleh lahan yang potensial di Indonesia,” ungkap Mentan.
Pemerintah Indonesia menyambut baik keinginan Arab Saudi tersebut, ungkap Suswono, namun karena terbatasnya potensi lahan di Indonesia maka pemerintah berinisiatif mengajak Sudan untuk ikut serta mengingat besarnya potensi lahan yang dimilikinya. Untuk pengembangan padi jenis Basmati ini setidaknya dibutuhkan lahan seluas 50 ribu hektar.
Mentan menambahkan, selain menjajaki kerjasama di bidang pengembangan padi, pada acara lawatan tersebut, pemerintah Indonesia juga membahas rencana pembukaan Atase Pertanian untuk kawasan Timur Tengah dan Afrika.
"Indonesia juga berniat memanfaatkan peluang pasar buah, sayur dan minyak sawit Indonesia di Timur Tengah, karena permintaan ketiga komoditas tersebut sangat tinggi pada musim umroh dan haji," tambah Mentan Suswono.
Jakarta (B2B) - The Indonesian government seeks the joint development of Basmati rice with two types of countries in the Middle East, Sudan and Saudi Arabia, through trilateral cooperation. In addition, the Indonesian government is also discussing plans to open an Agricultural Attache to the Middle East and Africa as well as the utilization of market opportunities of fruit, vegetable and Indonesian palm oil in the Middle East.
"Through this trilateral cooperation, Saudi Arabia provides investment, Sudan provided the land, and Indonesia provide rice cultivation technology development," said Minister of Agriculture Suswono in Jakarta, Monday (29/4) describes the results of his trip to the Middle East on 21 to 26 April 2013.
He said the current meeting with Vice Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Saudi Arabia, Mohammed M bin Siddiq in Jeddah, the Saudi Arabia expressed interest to invest in the field of food crops, especially rice cultivation types of Basmati.
"For the investment food crops, especially rice cultivation, the Saudi Arabia wishes to acquire land potential in Indonesia," said Minister of Agriculture.
The Indonesian government welcomed the willingness of Saudi Arabia, said Suswono, but because of the limited potential of land in Indonesia, Indonesia took the initiative to invite Sudan given the potential of its land. For development Basmati rice types need at least 50 thousand hectares of land.
Agriculture Minister added, in addition to exploring the rice development cooperation, on the trip, the Indonesian government also discuss plans for the opening of the Agricultural Attaché for the Middle East and Africa.
"Indonesia also intends to take advantage of market opportunities of fruit, vegetable and Indonesian palm oil in the Middle East, because the demand for these commodities is very high third on Umrah and Haj season," added Minister of Agriculture Suswono.
