The air-conditioners at the Ritzy Hotel in Manado failed to cool the heated atmosphere at the July 9 meeting between clove growers and Industry and Trade Minister Rini M.S. Soewandi. The minister had to answer a barrage of about 50 questions posed by clove growers and other participants. The crux was that the farmers did not believe she was capable of halting the plummeting price of cloves.

A farmer from Central Sulawesi, Samuel Taroreh, 68,