Agricom.id, JAKARTA – The member of Commission IV,  Indonesian Legislators,  Andi Akmal Pasluddin did appreciate Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) who makes sure that the food sectors keep producing in the Covid-19 pandemic nationally. Akmal said that ministry of agriculture successfully contributed to gross national product (GDP) nationally, which is, 16,4 percent.

"Thanks to Minister SYL, our farmers keep producing, planting during the pandemic and the agriculture sector contributed 16,24 percent to the GDP nationally,” he said through video conference, Tuesda (18/8/2020).

He also mentioned that the achievement should be the moment that the agriculture is the strategic sector that the country should pay more attention. Furthermore the increasing GDP took place when other sectors decreased.

“We need to see that the agriculture contributes massively. The country should realize that the agriculture is important sector and the should be special attention,” he said, as in the official written statement to Agricom.id.

He also supported Minster SYL who started his work by one data of agriculture. he though that the data in agriculture derived from other ministries/institution and contradictive one to another.

“By the data, we would know the numbers of production, and consumption needs of the people. Then the policies published by other ministries could be seen from the valid data, for example, according to the single data in next December, we would have massive stocks of rice, reaching 4,5 million tons. This is very good and central bureau of statistic confirmed it,” he said.

Besides, he also did appreciate the import policy from ministry of agriculture which starts diminishing. In the era of Minister SYL, Indonesia exported corn and rice to many countries.

“It means that the domestic production is enough. According to the Laws of Food No. 18 / 2012, we have mandate to be sovereign and independent in food sector. Alhamdulillah, we are about to go there,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister SYL emphasized that his side would keep working though the pandemic still happens globally. He ordered his officers to accelerate and make sure that the people’s needs should be fulfilled well.

“The increasing progress in the agriculture sector should be the turning point of what we want to achieve. Those who are hit by Covid-19 are in the agricultural sectors. That is why take the condition to make the better agriculture,” he said. (A2)