Agricom.id, JAKARTA – In the hearing with Commission IV, Indonesian Legislators in Jakarta where Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo did attend on Monday (14/9), the Legislators agreed to give more budget to complete the quarantine infrastructure to make the better work and functions of Badan Karantina Pertanian (Barantan).

The budget would be Rp 1,1 billion or increase 22% compared to the numbers in 2020 which was Rp 906,5 billion and would be used to buy the infrastructures, such as, to burn the garbage within high temperature or incinerator; the tools to scan media which takes electromagnetic wave or X-ray, and biosensor technology development.

“The out and income doors to the agricultural commodity should be better and everything to pass through or get inside should be healthy and safe within tight supervision,” the man who is called SYL told, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

Head of Barantan, Ali Jamil who did attend and accompany SYL did appreciate the belief. It needs full support to protect the natural resource in our country as the trade and quarantine system development in the world. “In the future, the complete incinerator would be better to eliminate the dangerous animals and plants,” he said.

He also thought that the X-ray is really needed because there are lots of trade traffics. It is hoped that there would be no more animals and plants not passing the health and safety conditions in the quarantine.

Takes the Researchers and Academy

In special, he also explained his work plans to develop the biosensor technology to monitor and supervise the safety and quality of food and woof from the agriculture. “Just like the new work and function in the new quarantine regulation (UU No. 21 tahun 2019), we surely need the technology,” he said.

Some things which were done were giving orders to the Barantan officers to continue their graduate and doctoral study both in and abroad; strengthening two units which should test and implement the method technic; and take researchers led by badan penelitian dan pengembangan pertanian, and the universities in Indonesia.

“We did comparative study to Netherland for some time where the technology is applied there. Hopefully, after the pandemic, we could be more incentive to deliver the officers to study in person,” he said.

Fast Export Service of the Agricultural Products

In the same chance, SYL told the progress of the consistent agricultural exports. He told that the exports by July 2020 reached Rp 35,82 billion or increased 23,30 percent compared to the previous months which reached Rp 29,05 billion.

"In cumulative, the agricultural exports in January – July 2020 reached Rp 225,51 billion or increased 9,52 percent compared to the same period in 2019 which reached Rp 205,93 billion," he said.

Chairman of Commission IV, Indonesian Legislators, Suhardi Duka did appreciate the economic progress through the agriculture. He hoped that ministry of agriculture could maintain the good works to save this nation from the threats of recession.

Commission IV would support Barantan to accelerate the agricultural exports. As the quarantine authority, it needs to strengthen the roles and facilities in the international trade.

For information, the Secretary of Barantan, Wisnu Haryana also told that minister of agriculture gave the strategic works in the task force to increase the investment and exports, such as, should be the coordinator of gerakan tiga kali lipat ekspor or gratieks of the agricultural products.

Besides as being the coordinator to the technical directorate by giving access of agricultural data, there would be quarantine operational to realize the targets, such as, do the breakthrough of acceleration to inline inspection; the second, to develop the businessmen to fulfill the sanitation and phyto sanitation measure; the third, to increase the synergy among the stakeholders by IMACE; the fourth, to expand the market access (through e-certificate); and the last, to educate and open the information as wide as it could to the public about the export clinic.

“We get the results, such as, there are kinds of new mainstay products to export, such as, porang, traditional drink chili and others. There are new exporters. We would encourage this,” he said. (A2)