Agricom.id, LAMPUNG – Chairman of Commission IV, Indonesian Legislators, Sudin and General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi did massive harvest for about 250 hectares in Kelompok Tani Maju, Village of Marga Catur, Sub district of Kalianda, District of South Lampung, Monday (20/7/2020). It was about to support the programs of the government to boost the food production so that the impact of corona virus (Covid-19) would not reduce the food procurement.
Sudin said that the government keeps running the programs to increase the food plantation production. That is why by the work visit, besides harvesting, the most important thing is to gather every issue that the farmers face and Commission IV, Indonesian Legislators could be in synergy with Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesian Republic to get the solution.
“Ministry of agriculture, the regional government and I do not want that the people, the farmers to live in misery. If the harvest is good, the farmers should get better to fulfill their needs. If the harvest is not good, what happened? We want to get the breakthrough though it is not popular – we stop the bad seeds to distribute. We want to get the complaints from the farmers about the bad seeds,” he said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.
Regent of South Lampung, Nanang Ermanto and the members of Commission IV, Indonesian Legislators, such as, Riezky Aprilia, Yohanis Fransiskus Lema, Ichsan Firdaus, H. T. A Khalid, Endro Hermono, Sulaimen L Hamzah, Abdullah Tuasikal, Muhtarom, Suhardi Duka, Muslim, Andi Akmal Pasluddin, and Johan Rosihan attended the ceremony.
He also mentioned that his side would not only encourage the government to distribute the good seeds, but also would give the corn dryer machine so that the farmers would sell corn within better price. The facts were when the massive harvest takes place, they have no good selling price. This (the machine) would guarantee the farmers’ better lives and should be prioritized.
“The farmers should not sell wet corn. We would help the dryer machine from the government. We have general director of food plantation here and he is ready to help and transport the harvest from the location to the seller. It is better if using three wheel – vehicle. We would notice this,” he said.
“Dear General Director, in the next meeting, please invite the corn stakeholders. I just need inputs from them. If they buy it cheap, it needs to re-calculate the costs that the farmers spent. The farmers and the sellers should have profits together,” he said.
Regent of South Lampung, Nanang Ermanto did appreciate the Legislators and ministry of agriculture for about to increase the corn production in the region. He thought that the work visit could raise the spirits of the farmers in South Lampung Selatan to produce corn nationally.
“I thank the Chairman of Commission IV, Indonesian Legislators for the visit in South Lampung, namely when greeting the corn farmers. Of course your visit gives us the spirit. We also thank for your helps to the groups,” he said.
He also mentioned that until now the helps that ministry of agriculture and the Legislators gave in the districts are quite helpful to increase the agriculture products, such as, the agriculture machines, the seeds, capital, namely for the corn farmers in Village of Margacatur, Kalianda, South Lampung.
“Of course we hope that the helps would not stop here but for the next day also to help the people in South Lampung,” he said.
General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi emphasized that just like what Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo said, to increase the production and welfare of the farmers, his side is committed to give the cultivation helps and post – harvest tools. The kredit usaha rakyat in Lampung Province runs optimally, reaching Rp 1,2 billion or the 4th rank in Indonesia.
“South Lampung is the main district to supply food needs, namely corn and rice to fulfill the needs in Lampung Province and others. We would keep supporting the helps and access to the farmers,” he said.
For information, in 2019, the corn harvest in Lampung covered about 317.833 hectares (ha) within the production reaching 2,2 million tons dry shelled within productivity reaching 6,84 tons/ha. Lampung also has 361.699 ha of paddy fields and in 2019 the paddy harvest covered 464.103 ha within the production reaching 2,2 million tons of dry grain or equal to 1,24 million tons of rice.
Of the agriculture areas in Lampung Province, District of South Lampung contributed the corn planting in April – June 2020, covering 50.620 ha, while the paddy planting in the same year covered 16.087 ha.
Suwandi told that his side is committed to provide the food for 267 million citizens of Indonesia independently. Corn is one target of commodity to produce independently to the woof and consumption so that the corn farmers get better.
The local corn productivity in average is about 6,4 tons per hectare. Ministry of agriculture targets that the productivity would increase to be 8 to 9 tons per hectare. Ministry of agriculture now has the variety which the potential reaches 11 tons per hectare.
“In order to make the farmers in Lampung have passion to produce, ministry of agriculture would give helps, such as, the corn and paddy seeds, post-harvest, pre-harvest tools, and modal helps to increase,” he said. (A2)
