Agricom.id, JAKARTA - Central bureau of statistic (CBS) released that the gross domestic product (GDP) in agricultural sector became the highest provider to the economic progress nationally in the second (II) quarter of 2020 which decreased 4,19 percent (quarter to quarter/Q to Q) and in year on year (yoy) which decreased 5,32 percent. GDP in agriculture increased 16,24% in the second quarter of 2020 (q to q) and in y0y, the agricultural sector still positively contributed reaching 2,19%.

Besides agricultural sector, the other sectors positively developed, such as, the information and telecommunication reaching 3,44 percent, and water procurement reaching 1,28 percent. The increasing GDP in agricultural sector could be 2,19 percent yoy in the second quarter of 2020 because it was supported by the food plantation sub-sector which highly increased reaching 9,23 percent.

The agriculture observer, Prof. Bustanul Arifin thought that the positive progress in agricultural sector, namely the food plantation sub-sector, besides for the seasonal activity but it needs to appreciate, also happened for the government, through ministry of agriculture keeps working together with the farmers in the corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic. Ministry of agriculture keeps developing, helping the farmers so that the agriculture could contribute to the economy nationally for there is no issue in its production.

“The agriculture becomes one sector having no issue about Covid-19 pandemic. This should be supported by government partisanship that distributed the helps and developed the farmers. Ministry of agriculture keeps increasing the production, such as, by giving kredit usaha rakyat (KUR). The farmers are not spoiled by the helps but they are led to something more independent,” he said in Jakarta, Wednesday (5/8/2020) as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

Bustanul thought that the high contribution from agricultural sector to the economic progress in the second quarter of 2020 happened for the agriculture commodity namely the food plantations got better and though in the Covid-19 pandemic, it has nothing to do with the agricultural sector. In addition, the orientation is not only about to produce but the government encouraged to increase the agriculture exports.

“In the future, the government should notice the farmers’ welfare better so that the food could be fulfilled though in the Covid-19 pandemic. The agricultural sectors have the important roles both in food and economy. If the government wants to increase the quality of economy and conquer the poverty, the agriculture sectors are the keys,” he said.

Chairman of Kontak Tani Nelayan Andalan (KTNA), Winarno Tohir said that the positive progress in agricultural sector has something to do with what ministry of agriculture has done through the food breakthrough in the Covid-19 pandemic. He thought that the main and local food development which becomes the strategy to provide food is good with nowadays situation and ministry of agriculture now always runs the programs.

“As a matter of fact, this is the tough situation but I believed, the government, in this case, ministry of agriculture could do the important breakthroughs to realize the food needs. It needs to increase the production, boost the exports, and even advantage the yards massively,” he said.

Meanwhile economic and agriculture policy observer, Prof. Pantjar Simatupang said that the government really understands the impacts of Covid-19 to the agriculture development and specially the farmers’ development as the main actors. He thought that the increasing GDP in food plantation sub sector (9,23 percent) could be the highest in the last three years. It happened for the changing season and showed that the food in Indonesia is well prepared during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In the Covid-19 pandemic, ministry of agriculture keeps doing the best to run the programs and the policies to welfare the farmers. The price that the farmers got is always monitored and supervised,” he said.

General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi said that the increasing GDP positively in agricultural sector is something possible to get. Ministry of agriculture led by Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo keeps doing the best to increase the qualified and enough production.

We keep increasing the production. Besides to fulfill the needs in our country, it would reduce the imports or increase the export volumes. He also mentioned that in increasing the production, ministry of agriculture has done some things, such as, encouraging the farmers to get and advantage KUR, developing the agriculture in corporate and cluster – bases.

“Besides, ministry of agriculture keeps giving helps, such as, seeds, post-harvest tools, pre – harvest tools, and modal,” he said.. (A2)