JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono revealed that the government has absorbed 40,000 tons of sugar production from farmers. The budget used to absorb sugar from farmers is injected from Danantara Indonesia amounting to Rp1.5 trillion.
"It's been absorbed) 40,000 tons, right gradually. A total of 40,000 tons have been purchased," he told reporters at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Office, Jakarta, Thursday, September 11.
Sudaryono said the Rp1.5 trillion fund injected by Danantara was used to absorb farmers' sugar that had not been absorbed by the market. Because, he said, farmers have produced sugar but the absorption has not been maximized.
"It's been milled into sugar, then it's not bought. So (the price) goes down, goes down, it's a pity. If you have bought it at the cheapest price, it's a pity. There the state is here," he said.
Even so, Sudaryono said the Rp1.5 trillion budget did not have to be completely spent because it was only used as needed.
"What the state did not absorb was bought by the market. If it was Rp. 1.5 trillion, it was absorbed, and it turned out that it was finished, yes, we can apply again (the budget). But so far it's still left, the money is still there. The auction is still in process," he said.
"For those who estimate it, we think our calculation is a maximum of IDR 1.5 trillion, that's enough," he continued.
Meanwhile, Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said the target for sugar absorption by farmers by PT Sinergi Sugar Nusantara remains at 21,000 tons and will be carried out in stages.
"But gradually, the last remaining 21,000 tons. From the total, 81,000, if I'm not mistaken," he said.
Furthermore, Arief said that the absorption of farmers' sugar was not only carried out by the Food SOEs but also by all private parties.
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The Food Agency also wants them to also help absorb it. So don't just state-owned enterprises. Anyway, those who are private are also asked," he said.
Arief said, until the end of 2025, it is possible that the consumption of the sugar balance will exceed by 1.3 million tons.
The main thing is that there will be 1.3 million tons of excess consumption. At the end of the year. We are still trying so that the bridging doesn't import. It means that production must be regulated. There are also many new seeds now. We are ready to buy imports," he explained.
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