Agricom.id, PURWAKARTA – The commemoration of The National Agriculture Day 2020 should be the moment for the governments, both the central and regional ones to be more spectacular to increase the farmers’ economy as the heroes of food and increase the food production. In the day, Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Regent of Purwakarta, Anne Ratna Mustika commemorated it in the district level packed by Pencanangan Panen Padi Varietas Tarabas in the Village of Tegal Onder, District of Purwakarta, Thursday (24/9/2020) as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

Regent of Purwakarta, Anne Ratna Mustika said that the agriculture is the mainstay of the regional government in the Covid-19 pandemic. She did appreciate the farmers and the counselors for maintain the production and productivity of the agriculture and also appreciated the breakthrough program of ministry of agriculture for really giving impacts to the food production and the farmers’ economy in the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Such as, the development program of new superior variety to increase the production and the farmers’ income. We do support to the Tarabas variety development for it is new superiority, has quality, good selling price and it is hoped to increase the farmers’ income and in the regional middle term development plans of District of Purwakarta. The agriculture is the main priority in 2021,” Anne said in the commemoration day.

Vice chairman of Legislators, District of Purwakarta; head of Food and Agriculture Agency, District of Purwakarta; head of Food Plantation and Horticulture Agency, West Java Province; regional secretary of Purwakarta, head of army 0619 Purwakarta, head of police of Purwakarta, head of OPD, Balai Besar Penelitian Tanaman Padi, Sukamandi, Kontak Tani Nelayan Andalan (KTNA) District of Purwakarta, the counselors and the farmers attended the event.

Head of Food and Agriculture Agency, District of Purwakarta, Agus R. Suherlan said that his side is committed to the food plantation production and productivity to fulfill the rice needs. The new variety is developed and planted in the government’s paddy fields, the Tarabas and Pemelen. “Happy National Agriculture Day 2020! We should increase the production and the farmers’ economy in the future,” he said.

Head of Food Plantation and Horticulture Agency, West Java Province, Dadan Hidayat told that the Tarabas could substitute the rice import from West Java because the importers, such as, Japan really wants it namely for the food industries, such as, the restaurants.

“In the National Agriculture Day 2020 commemoration, we are fully committed to increase the production and the farmers’ economy, as the heroes of food. Just like the program of ministry of agriculture, we would target to export the new variety,” he said.

Chairman of KTNA District of Purwakarta, Ujang Alim Aji Saputra told that in the National Agriculture Day of 2020, KTNA Purwakarta congratulated and hopefully succeed. The farmers should be better though in the Covid-19 pandemic. They still produce and contributed to the gross domestic product reaching 12,6% nationally. It means the farmers do not have issue with Covid. The day is the pride of the farmers as the heroes of food and could survive with their business to fulfill the food.

“Agriculture is the better business in the future. Many millennial farmers within good human resources now act to develop the agriculture in the future,” he said.

In the other spot, General Director of Food Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Suwandi said that to follow up what Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo told, the commemoration of the National Agriculture Day 2020 is the moment to accelerate as maximal as it could to develop the agriculture and the farmers themselves to be better, more independent, and modern. Development program of paddy new variety is one real breakthrough so that the rice stocks in our country are in good condition though it faces any challenge, including Covid-19.

“Happy National Agriculture Day 2020! We do appreciate and thank the farmers. Keep in spirit and be better. The farmers are the spears to develop the agriculture. They are the heroes of food and the suppliers of the food in the domestic,” he said.

For information, the demonstration plot of new superior variety seeding namely (Tarabas, Inpari IR Nutri Zinc, dan Pamelen) was done by Agriculture Agency, District of Purwakarta. It is one development of paddy. The Tarabas is one type of Japonica belonging to Indonesia which was successfully released by Research and Development Agency, Ministry of Agriculture. Tarabas would reduce the rice import namely in Japonica type which run for all these years. It could potentially increase the exports (the Japonica) to many countries which consume sticky rice. The Pamelen is the fluffier red rice, its texture is fluffier and red in color, and has its own markets. The healthy life trend in the pandemic would lead the consumers to consume healthy food too. (A2)