Ministry Of Agriculture Ensures Pupuk Stocks In Areas Affected By Floods And Cold Lava Are Safe

Director of Pupuk and Pesticide of the Ministry of Agriculture Jekvy Hendra. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) ensures the adequacy or availability of fertilizer assistance in areas affected by cold lava disasters and flash floods in West Sumatra Province (West Sumatra) in May 2024.

"This assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture will support everything related to needs in locations affected by natural disasters," said Director of Pupuk and Pesticide at the Ministry of Agriculture, Jekvy Hendra, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 13.

This was conveyed by Jekvy on the sidelines of monitoring the Ministry of Agriculture together with the Ombudsman and PT Pupuk Indonesia Persero regarding the addition of subsidized fertilizer quotas from 4.7 million tons to 9.5 million tons.

Jekvy said that for the recovery of the agricultural sector in Agam Regency, Tanah Datar Regency and Padang Panjang City, the Ministry of Agriculture allocated large amounts of assistance.

The assistance is not only for the provision of seeds or seeds and fertilizers but also for budgets intended for agricultural infrastructure improvements such as rice fields irrigation and so on.

"Especially for fertilizer assistance, it will be realized when planting has been carried out. Fertilizers are always available," he emphasized.

Meanwhile, Head of the West Sumatra Food Crops and Horticulture Plantation Service Febrina Tri Susila Putri explained that assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture worth more than Rp33 billion for the recovery of the post-disaster agricultural sector was divided into two parts.

First, the Ministry of Agriculture has prepared regular assistance of IDR 23 billion in the form of seed assistance, fertilizers and others which are currently still in the process in a number of districts and cities.

Meanwhile, the remaining Rp10 billion is intended for reclamation assistance or post-disaster material removal of cold lava and flash floods that occur in Agam Regency, Agam Regency and Padang Panjang City.

Currently, the funds are being distributed to affected areas so that recovery can be carried out immediately.

"There is a slight revision regarding this budget, but God willing, by the end of August every disaster-affected area will be able to work and use this budget," he said.