Agricom.id, PANDEGLANG - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan), Syahrul Yasin Limpo visited the massive harvest in Special Economic Zone, Pantai Tanjung Lesung, District of Pandeglang, Banten Province, Thursday (23/4). He did test the combine harvester and the grain cutter.

”We also gave seed helps, insurance, and kredit usaha rakyat (KUR) in agriculture to make this district as the barn of food,” he said, accompanied by Regent of Pandeglang, Irna Narulita.

Syahrul thought that District of Pandeglang is the fertile region where many kinds of plantation could grow, such as, vegetables, and fruits. It is potential to export the products because every district almost produces the agriculture.

“This is a very good harvest. I even try to know how much the clumps would be. I think, this could be 8 to 12 tons per hectare. These are the good signs because from what I knew, the good and successful governance is known from the good harvest,” he said.

Syahrul also hoped that the agriculture production in the district should not top though many regions in Indonesia are hit by corona virus (Covid-19). He thought that the virus should be the moment for the agriculture to increase the economy for the country.

“Covid-19 could be the chance and the power for Pandeglang and Indonesia because the agriculture is always needed. Do not stop doing farming. As the officer, we could not stay at home. We are the server of the people. That is why we are trusted by the people. They should eat, no one should be in hunger,” he said.

In the same spot, Regent of Pandeglang, Irna Narulita thanked the visit of Minister Syahrul in the Special Economic Zone, Pandeglang. She hoped that the visit could be the spirit for the farmers to keep producing.

"Alhamdulillah District of Pandeglang is visited by the Minister though it is not good one because of Corona. Thank you, Sir for the support from ministry of agriculture for we could produce within the good technology.

She also explained that the district has about 275 thousand hectares of agriculture areas. Some have been planted by paddy, mangoesteen, and vegetable sub sector. She thought that Pandeglang has implemented the long term program of Komando Strategi Pembangunan Pertanian (Kostratani) as the central activity in each sub district.

"We have 35 sub districts and every sub district runs the Kostratani. Insya Allah we could support the food for Jakarta and in this nation. I thank the farmers too for they do not stop producing in the pandemic of Covid-19," she said.

In the district, Minister Syahrul and Regent Irna did visit rice milling unit (RMU) as one grain factory using the modern technology in Banten province. (A2)