INDONESIA (10 February)
Indonesia failed again to meet the government’s paddy production target in 2003, producing only 51.85 million tonnes of paddy rice because of both smaller planted area and prolonged drought conditions in Java. Import requirements for 2003/04 stand at some 3 million tonnes.
Harvesting of the 2004 main paddy crop will start in March. Production is forecast at 50.68 million tonnes. In order to protect farmers during the current harvest season, the Ministry of Trade and Industry has recently imposed a temporary ban on the importation of rice starting 20 January until the end of June 2004. The new policy applies to a wide range of rice categories (rough, brown, fragrant, PB and whole) but excludes paddy for sowing seeds.
A devastating flash flood last week, triggered by heavy rains and deforestation, hit Bahorok in the sub-district of Langkat in early November; it was reported that 245 people were killed or buried alive and 1 300 displaced. Overall, the flash flood washed away 402 houses and heavily damaged one hotel, six cottages, 280 kiosks and 20 community houses.
Powerful earthquakes have hit Papua Province. The severest earthquake, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale, struck on 6 February, followed by a number of powerful aftershocks (6.2 on Richter) on the next day and 7 February (5.3). Hundreds of people were killed and injured in the quake and many buildings and infrastructures in the area were destroyed.
So far, some 4.7 million chickens have been killed because of the avian flu epidemic.