Agricom.id, JAKARTA - Ministry of agriculture targeted to plant corn in 2020 for about 4,49 million hectares within better productivity. One thing to do is by planting the high production variety in the corn areas to increase the production nationally.

General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi said that Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) is committed to provide food for 267 million citizens of Indonesia independently. Corn is one commodity to fulfill independently for the woof and consumption and also to make the farmers better.

"The average production of local corn is about 6,4 tons per hectare (ha). Ministry of agriculture targeted to increase the production to be 8 to 9 tons per hectare. Ministry of agriculture has kinds of varieties which are potential to be 11 tons per hectare. We are optimist to realize it,” he said in Jakarta, Sunday (5/7/2020), as in the official info to  Agricom.id.

He also mentioned that at least, there are 14 varieties of corn having high productivity developed in the regions, such as, Nasa within 103 days to harvest after planted (hap) and the production reaching 13,7 tons/ha; JH37 within 12,5 tons/ha; JH45 within 12,6 tons/ha; JH30 within 12,6 tons/ha; Pertiwi 7 within 12,25 tons/ha; NK7202 within 12,9 tons/ha; B59TX within 12,7 tons/ha; P36 within 13 tons/ha; BISI 321 within 14,75 tons/ha; BISI 819 within 14,19 tons/ha; P37 within 12,1 tons/ha; DMI 1 within 12,5 tons/ha; DMI 2 within 12,4 tons/ha; and varietas Makmur4 within 11,9 tons/ha. It needs to notice that these are samples of potential production based on the seed description but not the actual production.

“Every corn has the potential result up to more than 11 tons/ha and if the seeds are not planted based on the condition, the result might not as high as the potential. These are our challenge to cultivate well to get the high productivity, at least, close to the potential,” he said.

He did hope to the farmers to be more thorough before buying and noticing the seeds description so that they could adjust the local agro-ecosystem condition and the needs. for example, in the dry land and in the areas having shade, it is better to plant JH-37; in the high land, it is better to plant JH 30 and pertiwi 7; BISI 321 could be planted in the dry season or please buy the variety which is adjustable with the description and agro-ecosystem.

“There are lots of corns that I do not mention one by one. In each region, the farmers have different seeds based on their experiences. Please select the seed and follow the condition to cultivate,” he said.

He also mentioned that some corn production centers have got the productivity targets up to 8 to 9 tons per hectare. The increasing production could guarantee the needs.

"Ministry of agriculture would guarantee the corn production. In general, the planting would follow paddy planting. It could be planted in monoculture, intercrops, overlapping system or others. The corn could be planted in the paddy fields, dry areas, or full of rain, or integrated with palm oil areas, and others. The point is that it needs water to grow. The planting could be continuous and so would be the harvest,” he said. (A2)