Agricom,id, MANADO – Though the pandemic of corona virus (Covid-19) still threatens, the breeders (farmers) in North Sulawesi still harvest the hybrid corn – the finding of Indonesian people within JH 37 (the variety) in the 20 hectare areas in Sub district of Pusomaen, Minahasa Tenggara and in the Sub district of Likupang Timur, Minahasa Utara. The massive harvest would run until May 2020 within the total areas to harvest reaching 253,4 hectares.

Head of Plantation and Livestock Agency, North Sulawesi Novly G. Wowiling is proud of the province for being elected on the program run by General Directorate of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, based on the will of General Director of Food Plantation, Suwandi, which is to support the progress of small breeders to be the advance, tough, and modern corn breeders.

“This is very good and supports the product produced by the citizens of Indonesia. We could be the hosts in our country. From what we evaluated, the harvest of hybrid corn in North Sulawesi would keep running within the total average, 6,24 tons per hectare of field corn cob. The highest result in District of Minahasa could be 7,1 tons per hectare," he said in Manado, Sunday (19/4/2020) as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

"Though the armyworm attacked, it did not significantly influence. From the harvest areas reaching 253,4 ha, it is predicted, the seed candidate would be 525 tons," he said.

Director of Food Plantation Breeder, Ministry of Agriculture, Takdir Mulyadi in his vist to the hybrid corn areas of Kelompok Tani Anugerah in the Village of Suwaan, Sub district of Kalawat, District of North Minahasa told that the harvest would fulfill the domestic seed needs and would be exported to support the gerakan tiga kali ekspor (Gratieks) which Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo proposed.

Takdir also asked that every side could be encouraged and forced the plans to export the hybrid corn seeds, such as, to Philippine. It is planned that the signing of cooperation between the companies with Philmico Food Corporation would be in this April but it should be postponed because of the spread of Covid-19.

"The points of the cooperation are confirmed, for example, one kilogram of seed and one kilogram of animal woof were sent to Philmico Food Corporation. In a month, there would be at least, 20 tons of seeds and 500 tons of animal woof. The sample of seeds has the license from Badan Karantina Manado. The seeds had been sent and tested by CIGS (BPSB Philipina). Alhamdulillah, it passed the test,” he said.

"The demand from CIGS is that there should be one officer to develop and train the good cultivation,” he said.

In the previous, expert staff of minister of agriculture, Imam Mujahidin Fahmid said the same. Based on what Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo said, ministry of agriculture keeps encouraging the stakeholders and exporters to do triple exports or Gratieks.

"This is about to improve the trade balance which has been deficit,” he said.

One farmer who does it and as the Chairman of Kelompok Tani Makapihok, Meldy Rotulung proved his success as the hybrid corn producer. The 49 year old man was as the paddy and soybean producer but he now produce corn because it is profitable.

“Ministry of agriculture helped a lot to the hybrid corn breeding. I could get net profit up to Rp 20 to 24 million per ha compared to the consumption corn. It increased 100 percent," Meldy said.

The Chairman of Kelompok Tani Anugerah in Likupang Timur, Roy Salmon Pitoy said the same. Though it was planted in the marginal areas, the former areas of mining industry, he could produce the hybrid corn still. It increased the farmers’ welfare, and gave employment besides working in the mining sector.

“We are optimist, besides fulfilling the seed needs in North Sulawesi, we could export it too,” he said. (A2)