Minister Of Agriculture Amran Affirms Full Support Of Sugar Productivity In East Java

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

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan), Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized the central government's commitment to provide full support to East Java Province (East Java) in an effort to increase national sugar production.

The Minister of Agriculture said that through strengthening the large-scale sugar cane program, East Java is projected to be a key area in accelerating Indonesian sugar self-sufficiency.

"We will support (East Java for increased sugar production)," said the Minister of Agriculture after receiving a visit from the Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa with Deputy Governor of East Java Emil Elestianto Dardak quoting Antara.

Amran emphasized that East Java has a strategic role as the main support for national food security, including in sugarcane and sugar commodities.

"This is our governor of pride, extraordinary. He is a hard worker. The rice production here (East Java) is number one in Indonesia. Corn is also number one. Meat, eggs, sugar, everything is at the forefront," said the Minister of Agriculture.

Therefore, continued Amran, the Ministry of Agriculture prioritizes full support for the development of sugarcane as a commodity for levering sugar self-sufficiency.

"We see his performance as extraordinary. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture will provide full support, especially for strengthening the national sugar cane program," the Minister of Agriculture said.

The Minister of Agriculture said that the success of sugar cane development in East Java will be the main determinant for the achievement of sugar self-sufficiency in the near future. East Java Province accounts for more than 51 percent of Indonesia's sugar production, with a sugar cane plant area of around 245 thousand hectares spread across various central areas such as Malang, Kediri, Magetan, Lumajang, to Situbondo.

"If the sugar cane program here works, that means half of the national target is successful. Next year we are targeting to achieve self-sufficiency in white sugar," said the Minister of Agriculture.

Amran projects that within three to four years, Indonesia has the opportunity to achieve total sugar self-sufficiency, including for industrial needs, if all parties carry out programs seriously and measurably.

"We have to focus. If everything goes according to plan, in the next three or four years we will be self-sufficient in total sugar. This requires hard work together," he said.

He ensured additional support in the form of strengthening technology, irrigation, cleaning, and mechanization to ensure the productivity of leading commodities in East Java continued to increase.

The Minister of Agriculture revealed that the central and regional collaboration will become the main motor of Indonesia's agricultural transformation.

"East Java has proven itself to be the locomotive of national agriculture. The central government will continue to fully support it," added Amran.

Meanwhile, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa emphasized the full commitment of the provincial government to support the Ministry of Agriculture's steps in accelerating national sugar self-sufficiency.

"I am with the Deputy Governor, Head of the Livestock Service, and Head of the Agriculture Service today indeed coordinate and consolidate various matters related to national strategic programs," said Khofifah.

He conveyed that East Java received an important mandate from the Minister of Agriculture Amran to accelerate the sugar cane ratoon dismantling program on a large scale. In this audience, there are a number of things that need to be coordinated so that this program runs successfully and achieves the set target.

Not only that, Khofifah also emphasized that East Java's readiness to be at the forefront of the success of this national target. Every year, East Java's sugar production reaches more than one million tons, making this province the main support for national sugar needs as well as the backbone of the people's sugar industry.

However, behind this proud achievement, there are still a number of serious challenges that need to be overcome immediately.

"If this year the Minister of Agriculture manages to deliver self-sufficiency in rice, next year it is very possible for us to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar. East Java is ready to be at the forefront of the success of this national program. m," concluded Khofifah.