Minister Of Agriculture Syahrul Is Ready To Guard The Subsidized Pupuk Distribution To Encourage Food Security

Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Agriculture, H Syahrul Yasin Limpo, said he was ready to oversee the distribution of subsidized fertilizers to encourage food security. "This is considering that fertilizer is not rare, but less than the amount needed by farmers for the agricultural sector," said Syahrul during the National Movement for Food Inflation Control (GNPIP) in Makassar, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, October 25. Observing this phenomenon, he said, it is necessary to be closely monitored so that its designation is right on target. The limitation on the supply of subsidized fertilizers is because of the 67 types of fertilizers, only 9 types of subsidized fertilizers are intervened for urea and NPK fertilizers. "Urea fertilizers for consolidation and NPK for conception, do not use others. If others use BI's People's Business Credit (KUR)," he said. Furthermore, it is also important to understand that KUR as a farmer's capital loan is also subsidized, because the interest is 11 to 12 percent taken, but paid by Bank Indonesia, so the loan interest is only 6 to 3 percent. He said the fertilizer was needed, because if you use fertilizer, production will increase. "If one to two tons of fertilizer is only given to fish," he said. The seven strategic programs in controlling food inflation carried out by Bank Indonesia together with the Ministry of Agriculture and partners are the first, maintaining supply availability and price stabilization and maintaining people's purchasing power. Second, the expansion of cooperation between regions. Third, optimizing strategic food production through acute subsidies. Fourth, strengthening horticultural commodities through two main programs, namely the chili planting movement in the yard and implementation of best tourism and end-to-end food class cluster development. Fifth, increasing the benefit of alsintan and saprotan in order to support food clusters end-to-end. Sixth, strengthening data digitization infrastructure and food information. Seventh, use, coordination and always maintain inflation in the form of high-level meetings of the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID).