When Salt Farmers In Rawaurip Village Complain To Moeldoko
JAKARTA - Presidential Chief of Staff, Moeldoko, held a dialogue with salt farmers in Rawaurip Village, Pangenan, in Cirebon, West Java, Friday, to hear about the problems experienced by salt farmers in the field.
According to a press release from the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) received in Jakarta, Friday, on that occasion, farmers complained about the falling salt price.
"The price of salt fell once, only IDR 500 per kilogram. We ask the government to immediately set the lowest retail price (HET)", said Ismail Marzuki, one of the salt farmers in Rawaurip Village.
According to him, apart from the drop in salt prices, farmers also find it difficult to produce salt using the geomembrane method due to limited resources.
"One roll of geomembrane is IDR 5 million. For 1 hectare it can take 10-12 rolls of geomembrane. Farmers end up using foam plastic which produces less salt", said Ismail again.
Another salt farmer named Insyaf added that farmers are currently also facing the threat of coastal abrasion.
"Last year there were tidal floods from the north and south, farmers failed to harvest and had no income, sir", said Insyaf.
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Responding to this, Moeldoko said, the Government is preparing alternative solutions to solve the problems faced by salt farmers in the field, including the policy of importing industrial salt and revitalizing the shoreline.
"Information from the relevant ministries regarding import policies will be sent directly to users so that they do not leak in the market. As for abrasion, there will be a revitalization program for the north shore", said Moeldoko.
To the farmers, Moeldoko also promised to convey the aspirations of salt farmers to the relevant ministries/institutions. He also invites salt farmers to remain optimistic even though they are still facing various problems.
"I am a farmer's son, I know exactly the problems of farmers. We must be optimistic and continue to produce salt with good quality so that salt farmers here are successful and rich", said Moeldoko.