Sugarcane Farmers Happy, Get Fresh Funds Of IDR 1.5 Trillion From Danantara

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA Secretary General of the National Leadership Council of the Indonesian People's Sugarcane Farmers Association (APTRI) M Nur Khabsyin ensured that the disbursement of funds amounting to Rp 1.5 trillion from Danantara to absorb sugar belonging to sugarcane farmers will soon be realized.

"Commission IV and Bapanas immediately contacted the Danantara, and it is confirmed that tomorrow morning there will be a signing of a disbursement of sugar purchases worth Rp. 1.5 trillion," Khabsyin told VOI, Friday, August 22.

According to him, the disbursement mechanism was carried out by channeling funds from Danantara to sugar SOEs, namely PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (Persero) and PT Sinergi Sugar Nusantara (SGN), which then paid directly to farmers.

In an audience with Commission IV of the DPR RI, APTRI also conveyed six main demands. First, the consistency of the ban on sugar imports. The government is asked to keep its promise not to open the import tap in 2025, because in fact earlier this year there were still 200,000 tons of imports.

Second, tighten supervision of the distribution of refined sugar so as not to leak into the consumption market. Third, the government is asked to buy 100,000 tons of sugar from farmers who are currently piling up in factory warehouses through SOEs.

The fourth demand is the revision of Permendag Number 16/2025 related to the release of unconditional ethanol imports, which are considered detrimental to farmers for dropping the price of sugar cane drops from IDR 2,500' IDR 3,000 per kg in 2024 to IDR 1,000' IDR 1,400 per kg in 2025.

In addition, APTRI also emphasized the importance of guaranteeing the availability of fertilizers on time so that farmers can reduce production costs, as well as transportation facilities to direct sugarcane from wetlands managed by sugarcane farmers in every sugar factory.

"We hope that with this concrete step, sugarcane farmers will really be protected and sugar prices will remain stable in the market," Khabsyin hoped.

Sebelumnya, Menteri Pertanian (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman mengatakan bahwa pemerintah melalui Danantara akan menyiapkan dana sebesar Rp 1,5 triliun untuk menyerap gula petani.

"Danantara, Pak Roeslan mengeluarkan, menyediakan dana untuk membeli gula petani. Rencana kita keluarin pertama itu Rp 1,5 triliun, sekiranya cukup. Rencananya kita ID food (pembeliannya)," ujarnya ditemui di Komplek Senayan, Jakarta, Kamis, 21 Agustus.

Menurut Amran, langkah ini sekaligus memastikan agar harga gula di tingkat petani tetap stabil.

Selain itu, Amran melarang keras terhadap praktik rembesan gula rafinasi impor ke pasar konsumsi.

Dia menyebut pemerintah telah melakukan tindakan tegas di beberapa daerah.

Previously, Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman said that the government through Danantara would prepare funds of IDR 1.5 trillion to absorb farmers' sugar.

"Danantara, Pak Roeslan issued, providing funds to buy farmers' sugar. Our plan is to spend the first Rp 1.5 trillion, if that's enough. Our plan is ID food (purchase)," he said at the Senayan Complex, Jakarta, Thursday, August 21.

According to Amran, this step also ensures that the price of sugar at the farmer level remains stable.

In addition, Amran strictly prohibits the practice of seeping sugar from importing into the consumption market.

He said the government had taken firm action in several regions.