Agricom.id, PATI - Ministry of agriculture does not increase the food production only, namely the paddy but also guarantees so that the selling price for the farmers should be the profits. That is why the good post – harvest management should be in the good management, such as, by making sentra pelayanan pertanian padi terpadu (SP3T).

SP3T was made by the concern because for all these years many farmers did not get the results of their production for it was sold in dry grain. Ministry of agriculture gave the agriculture tools, such as, combine harvester, vertical dryer, RMU, and packaging machines.

Head of Food Plantation, District of Pati, Purwanto said that the farmers in Village of Kepuhkencono, Sub district of Pucakwangi got the complete SP3T helps, starting from the tools to plant, harvest, and post-harvest.

“The farmers joining in the Gabungan Kelompok Tani Fortuna could sell the rice because ministry of agriculture gave the tools,” he said when team of public relation of General Directorate of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture visited the SP3T of Gapoktan Fortuna in Village of Kepuhkencono, Sub district of Pucakwangi, District of Pati, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

Chairman of Gapoktan Fortuna, Zamzuri said that they are very helpful for the SP3T given by ministry of agriculture. “After getting the helps, the management gets more efficient. The farmers used to take some time to process (the harvest),” he said.

He also told that the rice before having the tools was Rp 7500 but is is Rp 8400 per kilogram. In one day, they could produce 5 tons and would need one man to finish it.

“To mill the paddy to be the rice in one package would spend Rp 300 if the farmers from other regions came to pack. But the farmers here would pay Rp 250 per kilo,” he said.

By the tools, the groups and the people are very helpful to the selling price.

He did hope that in the future, they are helpful in the marketing. “We sell it in conventional ways. We do hope to cooperate with PT. Bulog knowing that District of Pati is one paddy center in Java,” he hoped.

He also mentioned that the program could continue and be developed in other regions because the farmers would get profits from the tools.

In the other place, General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi hoped that the helps would not make the grain broken when it is in rainy season for there is no drying machine or the selling price is cheap when the peak harvest takes place. By the infrastructure packages, the agriculture institution could produce rice in package within special label. Just like what Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo told, the officers of ministry of agriculture should exist and be ready to fulfill the food needs of 267 million citizens of Indonesia. (A2)