TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi appeals to CEOs of a number of companies to develop food sector businesses by cooperating with farmers. Jokowi said that the food sector will survive the pandemic, but it still relies heavily on imports.

"I'm asking CEOs to collaborate with farmers so that this problem can be resolved," he said at the Kompas100 CEO Forum event in Jakarta, Thursday, January 21.

Jokowi named several food commodities that are still being imported in large quantities, including sugar, soybeans, and corn, as well as garlic.

The president lamented on the fact that locally grown garlic—from plantations in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and Central Java—still cannot compete with imported products.

In addition to food, other sectors he said resilient amidst the pandemic are pharmaceutical and hospital, technology, financial services, and education. In pharmaceuticals, he mentioned how 85 percent of them are still filled with imported products, and asked the CEOs to also look into this as a business opportunity.

Jokowi also mentioned that a number of economic indicators have shown recovery. The Consumer Confidence Index score stands at 92 while the Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) is at 51.3 percent. "Almost returning to normal numbers before the pandemic."

Read: WFP Continues Support Towards Indonesia's Food Security

Fajar Pebrianto