Amran Ensures BUMN Banks Provide IDR 300 Trillion KUR For Agriculture

Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman (Photo: dock. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) ensures that all banks included in the Association of State Banks (Himbara) have provided a people's business credit budget (KUR) of IDR 300 trillion to support an increase in agricultural production.

Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman explained that such a large KUR budget will later be used as access to loans from farmers and entrepreneurs which include the procurement of agricultural tools and machinery (alsintan) as well as Rice Milling Unit (RMU) or a grain miller.

"The amount is Rp. 300 trillion KUR nationally, and 3 percent of them are for alsintan, including RMU. For farmers, it is Rp. 100 million without collateral," said the Minister of Agriculture quoting Antara.

The Minister of Agriculture admitted that he had held a meeting with Rice and Rice Milling Entrepreneurs and the Association of State Banks (Himbara) to discuss this matter.

Amran said that the convenience and various efforts were entirely to increase national production and accelerate the self-sufficiency target so that it could be realized briefly in accordance with President Prabowo Subianto's direction.

"Sudah lakukan bersiap agar swasemabda sepatnya cepatnya. Bulog juga siap melakukan penyerapan. Diperkirakan panen pada bulan Januari, Februari, dan Maret mendatang kenaikannya akan cukup besar," katanya.

The Minister of Agriculture also requested that Perpadi immediately absorb KUR and absorb the yields of the farmers in all regions. Moreover, this year's main harvest is in accordance with the projection of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in a very large position.

He also hopes that Perpadi throughout Indonesia will help with absorption because in February and May it will enter the rice harvest period.

"Once again, we encourage banks to open access to alsintan business loans. So, this is a form of government attention to farmers, all for the good of the President (Prabowo Subianto)," he said.

Rice milling entrepreneurs who are members of the Perpadi welcome the quick solution given by the Minister of Agriculture in facilitating access to KUR financing for entrepreneurs to help farmers in increasing production as well as accelerating self-sufficiency.

"I am very happy that the Minister is not a person who likes to talk, the Minister is firm and willing to understand what we hope for in Perpadi, namely by opening access to KUR expansion in helping farmers increase production," said Nurkat Hadi Kusumo, a member of the West Java Perpadi.

The chairman of the DPD Perpadi Aceh Province, Darmawan, hopes that all solutions from the Minister of Agriculture Amran will have a major impact on the development of the agricultural sector in Indonesia, including the return of the spirit of planting Acehnese farmers in supporting increased national production.

"I think the solution offered if it is realized properly, rice milling in Aceh can be excited, agriculture in Aceh is getting excited. So, with today's solution we can get optimism in providing farmers' unhulled rice for self-sufficiency," said Darmawan.