Agricoom.id, TEMANGGUNG – District of Temanggung is the biggest garlic production center in Indonesia. In 2019 the garlic production nationally reached 88.817 tons within the areas covering 12.280 hectares. District of Temanggung could provide 27,13% of the production nationally.

“It is more less 3 thousand hectares. The groups and the people are maximal. Temanggung as a matter of fact produces not only garlic but union, cayenne pepper, and there are areas to plant tobacco here. We do hope, Temanggung could help the garlic production nationally. We harvested it and it is good,” Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) said when harvesting garlic in Village of Petarangan, Sub district of Kledung, District of Temangung, Wednesday (15/4/2020) as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

Big chili production in the district in 2019 reached 22.551 tons, and cayenne pepper reached 17.168 tons within the areas covering 7.000-8.000 hectares. The garlic production in 2018 reached 13.179,10 tons, and in 2019 it reached 24.097,7 tons.

The domestic garlic consumption reached 500 thousand tons per year or about 47 to 48 thousand tons per month. But the domestic production could not fulfill it. It needs to import garlic to fulfill the domestic consumption.

“Ours is different from the imported garlic. Ours is smaller but it has better smell, tastier than the import one. It needs to develop it,” he said.

In 2019 the imported garlic reached 465.344 tons, or decreased than it in the previous year reaching 581.077 tons.

About the scarcity and the increasing price of garlic, he said, ministry of agriculture would encourage other ministries to take action.

“Actually it is the area of ministry of agriculture to produce. We are ready. Ministry of agriculture does not only manage the supply and demand. It involves others, including the governors and the regent,” he said.

Regent of Temanggung, H. Muhammad Al Khadziq said that in 2020 there would be about 3 thousand hectares to plant garlic. Half of the areas were funded by National Budget through ministry of agriculture.

“District of Temanggung is ready to expand garlic plantation. We would prepare the areas, the farmers, and the seeds. For the nation, District of Temanggung is ready,” he said. (A2)