Agriculture Minister Amran Ready to Tackle Fertilizer and Onion Mafia After Student Complaints

Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) and Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Andi Amran Sulaiman. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) and Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Andi Amran Sulaiman received complaints from students regarding the scarcity of fertilizer, to the onion mafia.

The scarcity of fertilizer occurred in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). As a follow-up to the report, Amran admitted that he had revoked the company's permit which had caused the scarcity of fertilizer.

"It was revoked. It was revoked for 10 minutes (the permit) because it was online and it was processed legally. It shouldn't be (rare fertilizer). Thank you students. This is what we hope for," he said after meeting with the All Indonesia BEM in Jakarta, Wednesday, May 6.

Meanwhile, reports related to illegal onions, continued Amran, in North Sumatra. Amran admitted that he immediately took action after receiving the report. But unfortunately, he did not explain the total loss.

"There were also students who reported illegal onions. From North Sumatra. There is a person (the reporter) behind it. Well, he was arrested, put in jail," he said.

Amran emphasized that such practices should not be allowed. Because, it can damage national food governance.

"Can this country prosper, can it become a superpower if we do one time of indulgence? It's the same as breeding crime in this Republic," he said.

In the future, Amran also hopes that students will be more critical and can become a link in the Ministry of Agriculture in detecting violations in the agricultural sector. He also asked students not to be afraid to report.

Furthermore, Amran said the government also needed input from the younger generation to oversee various issues, especially in the agricultural sector.

"We need constructive critics to build the country we love," he said.

During the meeting, Amran also explained about the achievements of the agricultural sector. He said students were also invited to monitor the condition of the national food warehouse or Bulog warehouse directly.

Amran also revealed that the current government rice stock in the Bulog warehouse reached 5.2 million tons or the highest since Indonesia's independence.

"Let's not cover it up. We are free to ask, please ask. Warehouses (Bulog) throughout Indonesia, BEM throughout Indonesia, we are free to ask warehouses," he explained.