Agricom.id, BLITAR – As the rainy season is ahead in some production centers, ministry of agriculture starts to plant corn. This time, Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) and regent of Blitar directly planted corn in Village of Maliran, Sub district of Ponggok, District of Blitar, Thursday (13/8/2020).

SYL said that ministry of agriculture would guarantee to fulfill the corn needs and targeted that the corn production in 2020 would be more than it in 2019 to secure the stocks in the domestic. The corn harvest in the first planting revealed the surplus in some regions. The production data should be the reference to increase the width and make the better productivity.

“We have to make sure that the corn production is enough for the monthly needs. We need to expand the plantation, and the productivity should be better,” he said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

For information, the average local corn productivity is about 6,4 tons/hectare (ha), the productivity target could be increasing to be 8 to 9 tons/ha. Some corn centers realize the productivity targets. If the productivity is enough, Indonesia would not need to import it because it would be the loss for the farmers.

That is why SYL reminded that Covid-19 pandemic should be the challenge for the agriculture to go forward and ensure the food needs for 267 million people of Indonesia. The agriculture should be the main factor to develop the economy nationally.

“This is not general crisis but multi-dimension. The agriculture should be the main pillar to mobilize the economy. Do not do the usual things, but should work harder,” he said.

Regent of Blitar, Rijanto said that his side is trying to make the modern agriculture. This could realize Blitar as the food sufficiency. Blitar got some agriculture machines from ministry of agriculture given to the farmers.

The helps were multifunction and big combine harvester, medium combine harvester, corn sheller, mobile corn sheller, power thresher, multifunction mobile hand-tractor, four – vehicle tractor, rice transplanter, three vehicle - motor, hand-sprayer, and some horticulture seeds, such as, paddy, corn to the groups. Ministry of agriculture through the National Budget in 2020 allocated the helps for about Rp 16,2 billion in Blitar and Rp 288 billion for East Java Province.

“The helps is the attention from the regional government to transform the agriculture technology to be better. Not only modern tools, but the regional government also distributed the superior seeds,” he said.

“Developing the paths in agricultural business and irrigation is to advance the agriculture system and to make Blitar as the food self-sufficiency to increase the farmers’ economy,” he said.

He also asked for the farmers that the helps could maximally be used as their functions. He emphasized that if the helps are misused, they would automatically be given to the groups which need more.

“Hopefully, the agriculture in Blitar could go forward, the farmers have spirits to develop, cooperate together and be better,” he said.

In the same spot, General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi mentioned that the better market in the domestic and abroad, and the available corn stocks to the industries would make the bigger values for the farmers.

“It is hoped that our planting could be the way to accelerate the corn sefl-sufficiency. Be in synergy with every component – the farmers, the counselors, and agriculture agency – to maintain the food availability for the people,” he said.

He thought that the corn is a promising business. It is easy to plant anywhere.

“In Blitar, planting corn is very easy. It could be in bare areas, PT. Perhutani’s areas, or intercrops. Just like we see now, the overlay of corn is planted in teak forest,” he said.

In the event, the groups and livestock union also signed the memorandum of understanding. The harvest of the farmers would be sold to the livestock unions for they need 1.000 to 1.200 tons/day of corn. Suwandi continued, the farmers should be committed to maintain the continuity and the quality of the product (corn). They have to plant the superior seeds, use the fertilizers, and do better post-harvest too.

“By the cooperation, it is hoped that the corn could be more than price reference of the government, about Rp 3.150 per kilogram. Just like Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo told, the farmers should get access to KUR (kredit usaha rakyat) to expand their business,” he said.

“We still have KUR for about Rp 25 billion. We encourage, the officers could give access to the farmers to increase their business,” he said. (A2)