Agricom.id, JAKARTA – Chairman of Kelompok Tani Nelayan Andalan (KTNA) Winarno Tohir supported the technology and mechanism advantage that ministry of agriculture has done to increase the numbers of production. He thought that the technology is the certain device and could increase the agriculture in Indonesia to be more advance, independent, and modern.

“I think, these are the same as what Minister of Agriculture, SyahruI Yasin Limpo told. It means, the technology is the same with the cultivation. This is the good one because between the technology and the food needs run in the same path,” he said, Wednesday (29/4/2020), as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

Besides that, he continued,  KTNA did appreciate the data center development - Agriculture War Room (AWR) for it could map the condition and the agriculture area potential in many countries in Indonesia. Ministry of Agriculture also develops Komando Strategi Pembangunan Pertanian (Kostratani) in each sub district.

"AWR and Kostratani are the future which could change the agriculture images to the world,” he said.

But he did hope that the government should pay more attention and specially protect the farmers. He wanted that they (the farmers) should be in good condition though producing in the pandemic (of corona virus).

“I believed that Kostratani through the counselors could develop and protect the farmers from the threat of the virus. Keep in spirit. We should be together to maintain the food stocks to fulfill. Let us take the moment of massive harvest as the way to self – sufficiency,” he said,

For information, the rice stocks in Indonesia could be about more than 6 million tons. The numbers are got from the production estimation and the additional roll over in the previous period which might be about 11 million tons. From the calculation, the consumption numbers nationally is about 7,9 million tons.

That is why in many chances, Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo was optimist to the rice stocks in this year. He believed that the government could stabilize the food price and fulfill the people’s needs well in Indonesia.

“The 11 daily main needs are in control. Our food stocks, namely rice, are in good condition and in control,” he said.

He also thought that the people should not worry about the availability of the daily needs in this year because the government has calculated the needs and the food output in this country.

“The calculation of the trade balance is enough. 11 daily needs, such as, meat, rice, chili, corn, and cooking oil are in good condition,” he said. (A2)