Agricom.id, TAPANULI SELATAN – Some field officers of plant-disturbing organism (PDO), North Sumatera Province and the farmers in Village of Bona Lumban, Sub district of Tukka, District of Tapanuli Tengah were in spirit to secure the paddy production from the pest disturbance. It was to control the bedbug in the 15 hectare – paddy fields.

Head of Food Plantation and Horticulture Agency, North Sumatera Province, Dahler Lubis said that it was about to maintain the production during the pandemic of corona virus (Covid-19) in food sector, namely the rice. This is the main one to fulfill the availability of food, namely heading to the Ramadhan.

"We have to guard the agriculture, namely pddy though the epidemic of Covid-19 still hits this province,” he said, Saturday (18/04/2020) as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

He continued that the paddy is still needed to the food self-sufficiency sustainably. We would follow up the report of threat, no matter how minor it is.

“We got the complete reports from the officers who are in charge to the plant-disturbing organism control – disease and pest observer. We could save the paddy by controlling the disease so that the attack would not be more to other regions,” he said.

Apart from that, Head of Unit Pelaksana Teknis Dinas (UPTD) Horticulture, Food Plantation Protection, North Sumatera Province, Marino said that the control should be fast because bedbug could put the immature paddy into dead within the characteristic, it is tiny, yellowish, chlorotic, and has relatively immature leaves.

“If the bedbug attacks the paddy when being full, the plants would have tiny tassel, the exertion of the tassel would not be complete, the grain would be empty. The ironic is that when many bedbugs attack, the paddy would be dead or bugburn, just like hopperburn because of the chocolate plant-hopper,” he told.

He continued that the control to 20 – 21 day paddy should be by advantaging the active herbicide, dimehipo from the warehouse of District of Tapanuli Tengah by implementing the 6R, they are, right on target, right kinds, right doze and concentrate, right ways, right on time, and right quality.

“The massive control and in the same time is the stimulant for the farmers so that in the future, they could control the PDO in the same time and massively too, not in person both with the help from the government and the independence,” he said.

He confessed that the quick reaction from the plantation agency has something to do with the field officer who regularly monitor the fix spot and around surveillance to minimize the progress of PDO.

“Thank you, field officers for maximally doing your work so we could control it,” he said.

In the other spot, General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi told about that the field officers are important for the agriculture. They should secure the plantations from the PDO. They should be able to give information about the surveillance and control.

“We need early anticipation to prevent the massive attack,” he said.

He also emphasized that the food security during the pandemic of Covid- 19 is the crucial one. Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, he continued, asked for the support from every element in agriculture to take parts.

“If you all do your best, we guarantee every nutrient in Indonesia. We could guarantee the price of rice, the people would not be hungry and there is no more to argue,” he said.

He also mentioned that based on the lead of Minister Syahrul, securing the food production is the fight for the hereafter. It could be that the health could be done fast but should follow the instructions of the government.

“But the struggle to face Covid-19, for the agriculture, it is like sailing. It needs cooperation. If not, we would face issues right before our eyes,” he said.

"Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo made sure, the material of food stock would be available during the pandemic of Covid-19," Suwandi said. (A2)