Deputy Minister Sudaryono Ensures Availability Of Pupuk To Pursue Planting Period In October

Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono (left three) planted rice in a rice field in Jepara Regency, Central Java. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono ensured the availability of subsidized fertilizers in safe conditions for the planting and production period in October 2024, in order to prepare food supplies.

"I want to ensure that the fertilizers subsidized by the government actually reach the farmers because this October we have to encourage the acceleration of planting so that in January we can harvest," said Sudaryono as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, October 3.

He said that the government had allocated 9.5 million tons of additional subsidized fertilizer, an increase of 100 percent from the previous 4.5 million tons. Even so, the Deputy Minister did not specify the amount of subsidized fertilizer that had been distributed to date.

"There is indeed a fertilizer problem but it is related to distribution. That's why we went directly to the field," he said.

He said that in the future, the system and management of fertilizers must be increased to be even better.

He did not want farmers who were excited about production to be sluggish due to the lack of subsidized fertilizer.

"We will solve this fertilizer problem one by one and I agree to bring this issue later, of course we have to fix the management of the fertilizer to ensure that Indonesia's fertilizers as producers and distribution actually reach the farmers," said the Deputy Minister.

The Minister of Agriculture also invited the Jepara farmers to make maximum production in October. Do not let this abundant condition of water not be utilized properly.

"I want to make sure that this October is the important thing for us to push so that farmers to grow more excited. Because our discussion is that in October it will be planting, January it will be harvested," he said.

Previously in Demak Regency, Deputy Minister Sudaryono also encouraged farmers to optimize the acceleration of planting, especially the planting period in October this year.

According to Deputy Minister Sudaryono, acceleration must be carried out considering that currently some central areas are entering the rainy season so that water availability is in sufficient position.

"I came here (Demak) to encourage farmers that we must accelerate planting so that in this year it will be more productive. So the point is that the harvest is immediately planted because some centers are starting to rain so that there is already water," said Wamenan.