11 Ministry Of Agriculture Employees Involved In Fake Fertilizer Distribution, Amran: We Fire!

Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Amran Sulaiman. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman confirmed that his party would fire employees of the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) who were involved in the distribution of counterfeit fertilizers. The total number of employees involved reached 11 people.

Currently, continued Amran, his party has deactivated the employee and handed over the case of the fake fertilizer mafia to law enforcement officials. In fact, some have been named as suspects.

Even so, Amran did not explain in more detail than 11 employees involved, how many employees would be fired.

"We deactivated 11 people. Then there are already suspects from the Ministry. God willing, we will fire them soon," he said at the DPR Building, Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday, February 3.

Amran said that this fake fertilizer mafia practice does not only involve Ministry of Agriculture employees, but also outside parties to distribute counterfeit fertilizers.

Furthermore, Amran said there were five companies involved in the distribution of counterfeit fertilizers. This practice has cost farmers up to IDR 3.2 trillion.

In addition, he continued, there are 22 other companies involved in producing fertilizers with substandard specifications.

The company lowered the quality of fertilizers by 30 percent of the provisions, and had a significant impact on farmers' crops.

Fake fertilizer mafia. Five companies, cost farmers 3.2 trillion. Then there are only 30 percent of the specs. This means harming the farmers 22 companies," he said.