Please! Corn Farmers In OKU South Sumatra Claim To Be Difficult To Get Subsidy Pupuk

Illustration of farmers protecting plants from pest attacks. (ANTARA)

OKU - A number of corn farmers in Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) Regency, South Sumatra (Sumsel) admitted that they had difficulty getting subsidized fertilizer in retailers' kiosks for farming needs. As stated by Nurhalim, one of the corn farmers from Kemelak, East Baturaja District, OKU Regency in Baturaja. Nurhalim admitted that entering the planting season at the end of this year, farmers began to complain about the difficulty of getting subsidized fertilizers. This had an impact on the jugung planting process in the area being hampered because farmers did not dare to start farming due to the scarcity of fertilizer. "We have conveyed this problem to the OKU Regent, Teddy Meilwansyah, while reviewing corn plants in Kemelak some time ago in the hope of getting the best solution," he said, quoted from Antara, Thursday, September 15. Responding to this problem, the PJ of the OKU Regent, Teddy Meilwansyah ensured that OKU would get an additional quota of subsidized fertilizers this year. According to Teddy, his party has sent a letter and met directly with the Ministry of Agriculture to increase the fertilizer quota so as not to hinder farmers from farming. "The ministry revealed that in South Sumatra there will be an additional fertilizer quota and OKU will be one of the priority districts," he said. Meanwhile, based on data from the OKU Regency Agriculture Service, the overall need for fertilizer in the area reaches 9,398 tons, consisting of the Urea type, 2,664 tons of SP-36, 429 tons of ZA, NPK 4,205 tons and Organic 3,063 tons. "The need for fertilizers is for a planting area of 83,565.33 hectares," said Head of the OKU Agriculture Service, Joni Sahiu through the Head of Facilities and Infrastructure, Agus Paaryono previously added. According to Agus, the number of needs was fulfilled with the delivery quota received this year, namely for 15,947 tons of Urea fertilizer, 7,077 tons of SP-36 fertilizer, 1,605 tons of ZA, 15,443 tons of NPK and 3,400 tons of organic fertilizer per year. Even if the current quota is lacking, his party will immediately submit an additional fertilizer shipment to the provincial government so that the needs of farmers in the area can be fulfilled. "So, there is no need to worry that the supply of fertilizer can be ensured to be safe," he said.