Agricom.id, GORONTALO - Gorontalo released 12.400 tons of corn to Philippine. It was released by the Governor of Gorontalo, Rusli Habibie in the port of Anggrek, North Gorontalo, Wednesday (17/06/2020).

“I do appreciate the farmers in Gorontalo who are still productive in the corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic and our productions are good still and even increases. It is proved today, we re-export 12.400 tons of corn,” Rusli Habibie said, as in the official written statement to Agricom.id.

He thought that the agriculture is the sector to secure in the Covid-19. The food is the prior to fulfill and the agriculture must go on for the people.

“Why do we export? The reason is the corn in the other countries may be more expensive than it in our country. In 2019 the exports decreased because the corn was more expensive in the local regions,” he explained.

For information, the corn in the farmers’ level in the province is Rp 3.450 per kilogram (kg) within 17 percent of water. It is the same with what Governor Rusli proposed to Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo.

Head of Plantation Agency, Gorontalo Province, Mulyadi Mario said that the export is the success of the farmers that the provincial government and ministry of agriculture supported in the seeds, fertilizers, and tools procurement.

“As the mainstay commodity, corn of Gorontalo keeps fulfilling the domestic and others’ need. In 2018, we did export about 113.000 tons or about 30 percent of the exports nationally. In this year, we do contribute in the export nationally,” he said.

Mulyadi also said that based on the data from central bureau of statistic, in 2019 the corn production in Gorontalo reached 1.820.830 tons, while in 2020 since January to May, it still fulfills the markets nationally. The corn of Gorontalo is one that the buyers look for because it is much economic, within the gap Rp 400 from other common corn.

"Alhamdulillah, the corn export could improve the corn price from Rp 3100 per kilogram to be Rp 3.450 per kilogram," he said.

He also mentioned that the corn exports ran in some phases. The first is, he continued, the Provincial Government of Gorontalo released 6.100 tons within the transaction US$ 1.549.400 or equal to Rp 21.924.010.000.

"The second ship exported 6.300 tons of corn within the transaction about US$ 1.619.000 or equal to Rp 22.981.705.000. The total export of corn for two ships reached US$ 3.168.400 or equal to Rp 44.905.715.000," he explained.

He continued that the success has something to do with the central government through ministry of agriculture for helping the farmers to provide the seeds for about 110.000 hectares.

"We thank ministry of agriculture and others for helping us, from the planting until the harvest and we successfully export it,” he mentioned.

In the other spot, General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi also monitored the activity through video conference. He thought that Gorontalo could increase the export through intensification and extensification by planting the abandoned areas and others.

“We do appreciate and congratulate the governor for exporting it successfully. This is the same with what Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo told to encourage and expand the exports. We should prove that Indonesia could compete with others,” he said.

“The farmers should start moving to mechanism and develop corporate. Make the strong institution so that our farmers have high bargaining offer as the price maker, but not the price taker anymore,” he said.

He did hope that Gorontalo could develop corn industries from the upstream to downstream. In the upstream sector, it needs to make the corn seed industries and do partnership with the corn producers. In the on-farm aspect, the cultivation should intensively run so that the productivity increases and the planting index does to within intercrops, overlapping, and methuk system.

In the downstream, he continued, it needs to develop the processed products of corn, the woof industries, and develop the chicken breeding.

“It needs to make corporate to make the better class (of the farmers) from the groups so that they have market guarantee and certain price. The farmers, breeders would enjoy the additional value from the integrated upstream – downstream industries and would influence the economy in the region,” he said.

He continued that Gorontalo should realize it because the export in the massive harvest could be the solution to determine the price.

“The corn in the international level is more expensive. It is very good if it is exported,” he said.

For information, the corn exports in January - May 2020 increased 61,89 percent compared to last year. In 2019, the export volume reached 22.549 tons and in this year the export still reaches 36.504 tons. In general, the export volume of the food plantation increased 33,17 percent compared to last year in the same period. This proved that agriculture could increase its competitiveness. (A2)