Luhut Panen Raya Potatoes In North Sumatra: According To The Minister Of Agriculture Syahrul The Results Are Above The National Average

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan carried out the first harvest of potato plants in the food barn area in Ria-Ria Village, Humbang Hasundutan Regency, North Sumatra.

"We have already carried out harvesting activities and today I want to confirm the steps we have to take in the future. According to Pak Syahrul Yasin Limpo (Minister of Agriculture), the yield is above the national average, so the results are very good even though it is only the harvest season. first planting, "said Luhut in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, March 24.

In the first harvest of potato horticultural crops, Coordinating Minister Luhut was accompanied by Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Governor of North Sumatra Edy Rahmayadi, Deputy for Coordination of Environmental Management and Forestry Nani Hendiarti and Regent Humbang Hasundutan Dosmar Banjarnahor, as well as a number of other officials.

The food estate in Humbang Hasundutan itself is expected to be a pilot for a horticultural agricultural corporation. In addition to the potatoes that have been harvested in the first planting season, the plan is to also plant onions, garlic, and corn in the next planting season.

"It turns out that this has not been until a year (progress). This is due to teamwork, starting from the regents, governors, to the community. That there may not be too successful, Mr. Syahrul said there are 12 percent who have not been too good and 70 of them are already average. the national average so that if the average is taken, the yield of this first harvest is still better, "he explained.

Coordinating Minister Luhut said together with the Minister of PUPR and the Minister of Agriculture they had seen the location of the research center construction.

"We hope that in two years from now the research center will be able to produce seed varieties suitable for here. We are working hard for that, if this is all we hope that this year 1,000 hectares will be worked on. Then land clearing on 1,500 hectares of land and land. We hope that next year more than 3,500-4,000 hectares have been processed, "he explained.

Coordinating Minister Luhut added that if all the efforts and plans launched were to run smoothly, it was estimated that by 2024 there would be 20,000 hectares of cultivated land.

However, he realizes that making it happen is indeed not an easy job and it requires synergy and good cooperation between all lines.

Coordinating Minister Luhut also asked for a breakthrough and development of fertilizers that could be used in this area of the barn, for example compost made from water hyacinth raw materials in Lake Toba. The reason is, the use of fertilizers is estimated to increase production yields by up to 20 percent.

"We will try that here. If this nation does work in an integrated manner for interests like this, nothing is impossible, we must be proud as a proud nation. Starting something, nothing is immediately perfect, there must be a process of achieving it," he stressed.

In addition to harvesting potatoes, Coordinating Minister Luhut and his entourage also visited the Herbal and Horticultural Science and Technology Park (TSTH2) or the Pollung Herbal Center as well as land clearing in Hutajulu Village, Pollung District.

By driving a tractor, Coordinating Minister Luhut together with Minister Basuki and Minister Syahrul marked the start of a new chapter of food estate development on a 785 hectare land.

On the same day, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the central government, regional governments, banks and offtakers (buyers) to support the development of a food estate in Humbang Hasundutan Regency.