BI: Farmers Can Check Crop Prices on Mobile Phones
16 May 2013 08:35 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bank Indonesia (BI) is working with telecommunications companies and local governments to launch the information on basic commodities prices system (Siskaperbako) and the information of the commodity prices and production system (Sihati).
Through the system, farmers can use their mobile phones to check farming-related information including weather forecasts, daily prices in the retail market, and crop prices at the middlemen level, BI Governor Darmin Nasution said on Wednesday, 15 May 2013.
Farmers, he said, can even compare prices to get the best deal. "This could increase farmers' bargaining position and reduce the pressure from the oligopolistic and monopolistic markets," Nasution said.
In terms of payment services, in the future farmers in remote areas can also take advantage of delivery services and electronic money transfer via mobile phones.
"When they want to buy a goat, farmers can pay via SMS," he said.
MARTHA THERTINA
