Govt to Give Presentation at WTO Trial
Tuesday, 03 April, 2012 | 17:48 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government has prepared special studies to be presented to the World Trade Organization (WTO) committee concerning the reason for shutting down Tanjung Priok Port as an entry point for horticultural products. The study was prepared in response to complaints from several countries.

“This is a normal thing, so we just prepare it,” said the Agricultural Quarantine Agency head, Banun Harpini, commenting on the plan of 12 countries to report the Agriculture Minister’s Regulation no. 88, 89 and 90/2011 to the WTO.

The regulation cites that only four out of eight ports are permitted to operate as entry points for agricultural imports, namely Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, Soekarno-Hatta Port in Makassar, Belawan Port in Medan and Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang.

Besides the US, other countries that object to the regulation include Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, New Zealand and the Philippines.

These countries said that 90 percent of their horticultural exports enter Indonesia through Jakarta. If Tanjung Priok Port can no longer be used, the logistical cost will increase and the period to store the products will be cut.

Agriculture Minister Suswono said there was nothing wrong with the regulation. The report to the WTO is only valid if a country bans exports entirely. “We haven’t banned them, we have only restricted the entry points,”

ROSALINA | RR ARIYANI