Sugarcane Farmers Protest Against Policy

As many as 6,000 people from sugar industry, labors in sugar factories and sugarcane farmers in East Java held protest on the streets of Surabaya. The act is aimed at pointing out policies issued by the Ministry of Trade on refined sugar supplies.

Chief of the Indonesia Sugarcane Farmers Association (APTRI) Arum Sabil said today that the government's plan embedded on Trade and Industry Minister's Decree No.527/2004 on Sugar Trade Regulation injures both sugarcane farmers and sugar processing factories, which may lead to massive layoffs.

"Sugarcane farmers and local sugar factories will be affected by the policy," said Sabil.

On the other hand, APTRI calls on Governor of East Java, Soekarwo, to be against the refined sugar trade regulation. "This is the time for the governor to speak for the people," he said.

Sabil presented a data showing that the number of sugarcane farmers in Indonesia reaches 900,000. Each of the available 58 sugar factories employ an average of 5,000 workers.

"The policy will be a threat toward the lives of 3.5 million people. In fact, 45 percent of the total workers exist in East Java," said Sabil.

source: vivanews