Ministry Of Agriculture Sets Cassava Price To IDR 1,350 Per Kg

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) has set the price of cassava to Rp1,350 per kilogram (kg) after previously the food price fell to Rp1,000 per kg.

"Indonesian cassava farmers who attended today are more than 100, agreeing that the price has been set, should not be contested," said Agriculture Minister (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman as reported by ANTARA, Friday, January 31.

Amran added that his party also asked the Directorate General of Food Crops to immediately send a letter determining the price of cassava to the management industry in the country.

He promised, together with the National Police's Food Task Force (Satgas), he would oversee the pricing of cassava.

"So, everyone has agreed. Tomorrow the team will go down, also from the National Police Headquarters Food Task Force. We will go there and we will tell you later, go to the field to see in detail," he said.

Previously, cassava farmers in Lampung held a demonstration so that the government would increase the selling price of cassava from Rp1,000 per kg to Rp1,400 per kg.

The Minister of Agriculture said that the latest pricing was a response from the government to maintain the welfare level of farmers.

"The President's order is how to guard farmers, protect farmers starting from livestock, then rice farmers, cassava farmers who have problems for three months, thank God everything is finished," he said.

According to him, with the latest price set, cassava farmers are expected not to feel disadvantaged anymore, and can collaborate with industry entrepreneurs in the country.

"Companies must be profitable, but farmers must smile," he said.