REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PAMEKASAN -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held a dialog with corn farmers in Montok village, Pamekasan, during his visit to Madura Island in East Java on Thursday.

He held the dialog after conducting a corn harvest in the district with a number of ministers, including Agriculture Minister Suswono, Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Businesses Syarif Hasan, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Elka Mari Pangestu and Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi.

During the dialog, farmer representatives expressed their hope for infrastructural developments in the region, especially the creation of a water network, a reduction of corn imports and the stabilization of the corn price.

President Yudhoyono responded that the government had continually made efforts to improve the irrigation infrastructure and to stabilize corn prices to improve the farmers' welfare.

He clarified that the government will only import corn if there is a production shortage, but Indonesia also exports when the supply is abundant, thus following economic mechanisms.

"Like everywhere else in the world, we will sell our produce when supply is abundant and buy when there is a shortage. That is normal," he assured the farmers.

With regard to reducing imports, President Yudhoyono stressed that production at home had to be increased.

"So, if we are all determined to reduce or stop imports, we must increase our production. I agree with this idea 100 percent," he reiterated.

President Yudhoyono had earlier held a dialog with salt farmers in Karanganyar, Sumenep.

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