BBM 79 - August 2024

BBM • AUGUST - AĞUSTOS 2024 46 INTERVIEW • RÖPORTAJ He also discussed the risks to Indonesia’s food security, cit- ing factors such as geopolitical situations, climate change, and El Niño. He stressed the importance of addressing these risks through comprehensive strategies, including education on diet diversification and collaboration with partner countries. Regarding the IDMA Expo, Mr. Gardera highlighted its sig- nificance in showcasing technological advancements in flour production and fostering international collaboration in the grain processing industry. Here are his responses to our questions: Mr. Gardera, can you provide an overview of the current state of the grain industry in Indonesia? Our main commodity is rice. In general, we can fulfill all the needs of our people through domestic production. However, last year, due to the El Niño phenomena, our rice production has been lower than usual. This has led to a reduction of about 15% compared to normal years. The second most important crop is corn, which serves both as a staple for human consumption and as feedstock for animals. Rice and corn are the two main commodities in our grain in- dustry. Additionally, we need to import wheat as it is not cultivated domestically. Wheat is utilized in various food products such as bread, noodles, and other food products. What will be the vol- ume of wheat imports in 2024? The volume of wheat im- ports is expected to increase in 2024. This is assumed to be due to the improving global economy and population growth. Wheat is also widely used to mix animal feed. Wheat imports in 2023 has reached 10.95 million tons. The amount of imports increased by around 1.42 million tonnes or 14.9% of the import volume in 2022 of 9.53 million tonnes. INDONESIA’S WHEAT DEMAND RISES Do you foresee that the wheat consumption in Indonesia will increase in the future? Wheat consumption in Indonesia has been on the rise due to the preference for easy-to-prepare foods, such as noodles. Gardera ayrıca jeo- politik gelişmeler, iklim değişikliği ve El Niño gibi faktörlere atıfta bulunarak Endonezya’nın gıda güvenli- ğine yönelik riskler konusunda bilgi verdi. Bu risklerin, besin çeşit- lendirme eğitimi ve dost ülkelerle iş- birliği de dâhil olmak üzere kapsamlı stra- tejiler yoluyla ele alınmasının önemini vurguladı. İDMA ile ilgili de değerlendirmelerde bulunan Gardera, un üretimindeki teknolojik gelişmelerin sergilenmesi ve tahıl işleme endüstrisinde uluslararası işbirliğinin teşvik edilmesi açısından fuarın çok önemli olduğunu söyledi. Sn. Gardera, öncelikle bize Endonezya’nın tahıl üretimi hakkında bilgi verebilir misiniz? Ana ürünümüz pirinç. Genel olarak halkımızın tüm ihtiyaçlarını yurt içi üretimle karşılayabiliyoruz. Ancak geçen yıl El Niño’ya