Agricom.id, JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) reminded that it is important to keep the stable supply and price well in the uncertain time. He also asked that the officers should do their work with all of their heart to fulfill the food for 267 million citizens of Indonesia, including onion which is the strategic horticulture commodity.

“Do not panic when facing such situation which is unpredictable. About food, every factor has its calculation,” he said, as in the official written statement to Agricom.id.

He also urged that his officers should focus to fulfill the 11 daily needs for the people of Indonesia.

“Do not be careless. We have to ensure that if many concerned about the food scarcity, it would not happen,” he said.

General Director of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture, Prihasto Setyanto in his statement, Tuesday (12/5) said that his side kept monitoring the strategic horticulture commodities, including onion. “About onion, we predicted that the production nationally is more than the needs. It means that onion is cumulatively surplus. But it is admitted that the distribution is not equal yet. This is our work together,” the man who is familiarly called Anton, said.

About the horticulture product procurement in the pandemic of corona virus (Covid-19), Anton said that his side has prepared the strategies.

“Based on what Minister of Agriculture, SYL said, we have prepared the strategies in the Covid-19 emergency, such as, the marketing facility of horticulture products for the farmers hit by Covid-19, warehouse rent to solve the over - supply of the horticulture farmers’ production, the help to procure horticulture material for the people hit by Covid-19, and horticulture seed helps for the farmers hit by Covid-19,” he said.

Based on the Early Warning System (EWS) data about onion within the calculation adjustment based on the rogol kering askip production, General Directorate of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture predicted that in May - August 2020 there would be production reaching 348.343 tons; the needs reach 342.598 tons; the surplus would be 5.745 tons. The onion planting nationally in January – May 2020 would be 74.083 hectares (ha) within details, in January reaching 17.472 ha, February reaching 14.739 ha, in March reaching 14.278 ha, in April reaching 14.088 ha, and in May reaching 13.506 ha. (A2)