SUKABUMI (West Java), Oct 4 (Bernama) - Indonesian Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono is worried that next year's rice production target of 61 million tonnes will not be achieved because a number of rice producing regions have not yet set up National Rice Production Drive (P2BN) command posts.

"Although the P2BN has produced positive results, there are still many problems involving it, that has to be solved," the minister said in a written address read out by Food Crops Director General Sutarto Ali Moeso at the announcement of the 2007/2008 planting season here on Wednesday.

Quoting Apriantono, the Indonesian news agency Antara reported that P2BN command posts were important for solving problems affecting agricultural products.

"Dry unhulled rice production this year has until now only reached 55.13 million tonnes while the target is 58.12 million tonnes," he said.

He said production was still three million tonnes short of the target.

"We still have three months that have to be taken advantage of so that the rice production target this year will be achieved," the minister added.

(Source: BERNAMA)