Agricom.id, JAKARTA - Ministry of agriculture responded fast as the first guard to handle the epidemic of corona virus (Covid-19). As the government institution which is responsible on fulfilling the food needs for 267 million citizens of Indonesia, ministry of agriculture has done many real things to guarantee their needs.

Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL), Tuesday (14/4) in the agricultural war room (AWR), Ministry of Agriculture saluted every farmer in many districts who did massive harvest. “We want to prove that it is real, the harvest takes place. It is not about number on paper,” he said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

The video conference was joined by 332 spots where the districts were harvesting paddy and corn. 12 regents even joined the activity, they were, regent of Serdang Bedagai, Banyuasin, South Bengkulu, Rejang Lebong, Cianjur, Balangan, Barru, Banggai, south Konawe, West Sumbawa, Dompu, and Nagekeo.

Ministry of agriculture predicted, the massive harvest in April would cover about 1,73 million hectares (ha). So the government would anticipate so that the grain price in the farmers’ level would not cheaper than the government purchasing price (GPP).

“The peak in April would cover about 1,73 million ha within the production reaching 5,27 million tons of rice and in May, the harvest would be about 1,38 million ha or equal to 3,81 million tons of rice. The areas in May would be larger than those in last March.

In the harvest peak, ministry of agriculture would anticipate to stabilize the price. One solution to do is the Kostraling (Komando Startegi Penggilingan Padi), which is, the approach of KUR (kredit usaha rakyat). The average price in the farmers’ level is Rp 4.600/Kg. But based on the Regulation of Minister of Trade No. 24 / 2020, the GPP for the harvested dry grain in the farmers’ level would be Rp 4.200/Kg and it could be cheaper in the peak harvest.

He also urged that the regional governments should immediately get the KUR, monitor the price so that the price is not cheaper than GPP.

Though the epidemic still hits, the farmers should be excited and ministry of agriculture would help to accelerate the production. “In the epidemic of Covid-19, the government has two main agendas, they are, the health, and the food procurement,” SYL said.

It means that the officers in agriculture agencies in the districts would have important duty to monitor the farmers.

Ministry of agriculture is studying so that the Kostraling could cooperate with the online marketing to sell the rice to the people. The real thing do to in the chance is that ministry of agriculture plans to cooperate with Blibli to provide and distribute the rice.

In the chance, General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi and CEO Blibli, Kusumo Martanto signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) to procure and distribute rice through the online platform of Blibli.

CEO Blibli, Kusumo Martanto was happy for getting the trust from the government of Indonesia, in this case, ministry of agriculture, as the exclusive e-commercial partner to support the procurement of rice for the people’s needs. “This is our commitment to collaborate and support Indonesia in the pandemic,” he said.

Blibli hoped, the best team quality, the infrastructure, and the technology could support maximally. These are supported by the logistic chains which the factors in Blibli, including the warehouses in many regions in Indonesia to reach the customers.

This would be easy access for the people to buy rice in online system and help the grain produced by the farmers. It means that it takes Kostraling to buy the grain from the farmers and supply the rice to be sold in online system.

In the same spot, General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of agriculture, Suwandi urged that heads of agriculture agencies in many provinces and districts should develop Kostraling to get kredit usaha rakyat (KUR) to absorb the grain from the farmrers. Then Kostraling should immediately make partnership with the online markets, market place, start-up, e-commerce to distribute the medium, premium, and special rice efficiently and well so that the people could access.

“We should approach the producers and the consumers to accelerate the distribution. Because the epidemic of Covid-19, and the policy of the government about PSBB (pembatasan sosial berskala besar) or big scale social distancing, the issues to face are the distribution and the price,” he said.

The government hoped that this situation would not be issue for the farmers to produce. Of course the government would do the maximal so that they are protected still and the people could get their needs. Just like what President Jokowi said, the agriculture should keep producing in any condition. (A2)