Government Cuts Subsidized Fertilizer Distribution Regulations

The Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, together with the Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman. (Mery Handayani / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government through the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs (Kemenko Pangan) has officially cut regulations for the distribution of subsidized fertilizers. In the latest regulations later, Decree (SK) from regional heads is no longer needed.

The decision was taken after the Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan met with the Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman, and other deputy ministers related to fertilizer at the Ministry of Agriculture's Office today.

"We have just decided on subsidized fertilizers, which so far have many rules or many regulate the subsidized fertilizer so that it reaches farmers or those who need it. So we just had a meeting, we cut it," he said at a press conference, at the Ministry of Agriculture Office, Jakarta, Tuesday, November 12.

Currently, he continued, the distribution of subsidized fertilizers involves eight ministries. Not to mention, regional coconut. As a result, the distribution of fertilizers to get to the hands of farmers becomes longer and longer.

Furthermore, he said this regulatory change made the flow of fertilizer distribution shorter. After the Minister of Agriculture's decision was issued, he said, fertilizers could be directly distributed to the Farmers Group Association (Gapoktan).

"So the person in charge of subsidized fertilizers at the Ministry of Agriculture will decide on the decree. So it will no longer be from the regent, from the governor, from other ministries. I saw that there were eight ministries, imagine it will be very complicated," he said.

"Well, from the ministry, it is enough to leave it to Pupuk Indonesia, Pupuk Indonesia sent it to Gapoktan. That's what is audited, accounted for, then the finance ministry will pay," he continued.

The man who is familiarly called Zulhas said the regulation would apply after the issuance of a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) which regulates the flow of subsidized fertilizers. After the regulation is signed, it is hoped that starting in 2025 the distribution of fertilizers can be shorter.

"Next year. Next year (starts distribution with new regulations). January next year," he said.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said the government agreed to cut the flow of subsidized fertilizer distribution. He said that by cutting this regulation, fertilizers could be directly distributed to farmers.

"This is good news today. At the direction of the Coordinating Minister, we agreed that it was shortened, simplified, simplified. We represent the government, signed, made decisions for fertilizer distribution," Amran explained.

Amran said that after the Minister of Agriculture's Decree was issued, subsidy fertilizers could be directly distributed by PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) to Gapoktan.

"We leave it to PIHC, PI Pupuk Indonesia, PI Indonesia directly direct to farmer groups. So it's very simple," he said.