Agricom.id, BANDUNG -  Ministry of agriculture through Program Pengembangan Kawasan Tanaman Pangan Korporasi (ProPaktani) tries to increase the food plantation production and encourage the exports, such as corn. Corn production through the corn farmers’ corporate cultivation hits the target, just like the corn farmers’ corporate in Sub district of Nagreg, District of Bandung, West Java.

Regent District of Bandung, Dadang M. Naser said that the corn cultivation by corporate in Sub district of Nagreg gave the good result to the farmers’ economy and the better cultivation. The money circulation from corn cultivation in corporate – base reached Rp 17 billion in a month. Corn has the good business prospect to increase, both in the production number and quality.

“I do really appreciate the corn corporate and it makes Nagreg as the central cultivation of corn in West Java. In the future, the farmers should be more excited to increase the numbers of production and quality to get better economy,” Dadang said, Thursday (22/10/20) as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

He also mentioned that the management of the corporate is preparing 5 (five) hectares (ha) to be the place to dry the corn and make the modern shed of corn in Village of Ciherang, Sub district of Nagreg. It would be developed more to encourage the farmers to innovate and increase the corn production.

“The agricultural activity should be supported by water system, namely when it is in dry season. I do hope, the farmers keep maintain the quality of corn seeds besides noticing the ways to plants, and others,” he said.

“We prioritize the corn to cultivate because Bandung in one mainstay to produce corn. Its production is the most in West Java. If it is cheap to sell, the seller could postpone until it is stable again,” he said.

In other chance, General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi said that ProPaktani is about to increase the food plantation production. The corn plantation nationally to plant in 2020 covers 4,48 million hectares, the harvest covers 4,33 hectares, the productivity covers 5,58 tons/hectare, and the total production could be 2,17 million tons or increase 7 percent compared to the previous year.

"The corporate system is the breakthrough of Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo and what President Joko Widodo ordered. The government gave not only the infrastructure helps but also the facility of modal through kredit usaha rakyat (KUR). By KUR, the farmers who join the corporate could be better, more independent, and modern. There will be markets and they would not know the meaning of ‘loss’,” he said.

Suwandi also mentioned that the first principle of corporate is the cultivation approach in the overlay (5.000 hectares). It should not be one overlay but it could be grouped according to the region or cluster (500 hectares) in 10 spots (locations) to be 5.000 ha in total.

"The corporate system has been tried since last year in some regions, such as, Tuban, Lampung, Lombok, South Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Yogyakarta, Central Java, and other. Everything runs well. That is why it would be replied in other 130 districts this year," he said.

He also explained that ProPaktani is the integrated activity (onfarm) from the upstream, such as, from the infrastructure, agricultural tools, and the cultivation (starting from the seeding, planting, to harvesting) to downstream, such as, post – harvest until the marketing. Not only that the institution of groups should be in better class, such as, in the form of cv, cooperation, or village enterprises.

“The important thing in an institution is the good management. That is why, it needs to gather those who do corporate system to share information to strengthen the corporate,” Suwandi told.

In the previous, Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo emphasized that the farmers’ corporate is one prior program to be realized to develop the business process from the upstream to downstream sectors to be the main pillar of economic progress nationally  to face every challenge, such as, Covid-19 pandemic. The corporate should give implication to enliven the spirits of millennial generations to do agricultural business and make it innovative and competitive.

“If we have good and healthy food, the country would be better. It is the time that everyone helps another to develop the agriculture in modern ways and in the form of corporate and be the winner in any challenge,” Syahrul mentioned. (A2)