Agricom.id, BATOLA - Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) did work visit in the area optimization and paddy harvest in the Gapoktan Harapan Maju, Handil Mesjid, Village of Anjir Pasar Lama, Sub district of Anjir Pasar, District of Barito Kuala, South Kalimantan Province, Monday (31/08).

From the area optimization, it is hoped that the province could be part of food barn nationally. He did hope the supports to area cultivation and planting the hybrid variety to get the higher productivity.

“Many planted the local variety, not the hybrid. We want to know the next season within superior variety. One hectare could produce 5 to 7 tons. We tried here,” he said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

In this situation, ministry of agriculture keeps trying to increase the food production through the intensification and extensification programs, such as, by optimizing the swamp.

Through the swamp optimization program, it is hoped, there would be increasing planting index and productivity that would contribute to the food stocks nationally.

It is hoped that the improvement of water management, irrigation rehabilitation, and increasing the swamp fertility could increase the plantation food production.

“South Kalimantan is potential to make the better food security nationally. (The report) from the governor, it is over stock. (This province) has more than the half. Let us try to optimize the region to develop this province. We should increase the water management, the path to this planting,” he said.

In 2019, ministry of agriculture allocated the area optimization for the swamps covering 120.00 hectares (ha) in 9 districts in South Kalimantan, including in District of Barito Kuala covering 28.052 ha and District of Banjar covering 59.834 ha. In 2020 ministry of agriculture re-allocated 9.000 ha in 2 districts, they are, District of Barito Kuala and Hulu Sungai Selatan.

Besides, ministry of agriculture allocated the swamp optimization improvement covering 8.750 ha in 2020 in District of Barito Kuala. The physical construction should run well to increase the planting index so that the production and the farmers’ income would get better.

The allocation to help the activity in the province reached Rp 91 billion, both for the infrastructures, food plantation, horticulture, plantation, and the livestock. While in District of Barito Kuala, ministry of agriculture helped for about Rp 43 billion. (A2)