The Target Of Self-sufficiency In Sugar, Jokowi Claims To Have Prepared 700 Thousand Hectares Of Tebu Land

President Joko Widodo delivered a statement after reviewing sugarcane planting in the sugarcane plantation, Temu Giring, Mojokerto Regency, Central Java Province/ANTARA

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said the government is preparing 700 thousand hectares of sugar cane fields to support the sugar self-sufficiency target for the next 5 years. "Earlier, it was stated that if we can really prepare 700 thousand hectares, we are independent, we are self-sufficient in sugar in the next 5 years, and I will prepare the 700 thousand," said President Jokowi in Mojokerto, East Java, quoted from Antara, Friday, November 4. President Jokowi conveyed this after reviewing the Tebu Temu Giring Garden, Mojokerto Regency, and having a dialogue with a number of sugarcane farmers. "Now I only got 180 thousand hectares. We need 700 thousand hectares, I will prepare it," added President Jokowi. The 700 thousand hectares of sugar cane is planned to be spread across various regions of the country. "Yes, it is spread, indeed the good sugar cane planting culture is good in East Java, Central Java is good, West Java is also good. Later we will run outside (the island) of Java because 700 thousand hectares of land is also not a small land but I will prepare it with all my might," said President Jokowi. President Jokowi said that there are new superior varieties of sugar cane that can encourage production. "We have started something new for sugarcane business, because we use this most recent variety. Earlier Doctor Plinio (a sugar cane expert from Brazil) said that here there is no need for fertilization for the nitrate, then the potassium one is not necessary because the soil is already good. This is a very good one," explained the President. The Head of State said that sugarcane planting with new varieties within 26 days showed good results. Even the results of planting new cane varieties in the country showed better results than in Brazil. "With this (new variety) planted, which has been 26 days, the results were extraordinary. Usually in Brazil it only appears 2 (batangs), here it can go 4 or 5 (batangs). This is also something extraordinary," said the President. In addition to food security, sugar can also contribute to energy security through bioethenol. "If the sugar is achieved, some of it can be rushed to ethanol, which we will start with E5 first. E5 goes, E10, E20, we are rich, we play first B20 B 30 for palm oil. This is the same. We are happy. We have met the moves, the most important thing is to meet the moves so that it remains only implementation that must continue to be monitored," said the President. Bioethenol is one of the alternative fuels from plants that have gone through the fermentation process, one of the plants that can be used is sugar cane. Based on the results of a study in Brazil, 1 ton of sugar cane can produce the equivalent of 1.2 barrels of crude oil. In a dialogue with sugarcane farmers, President Jokowi asked about the estimated sugarcane production using the new variety. "Ladies and gentlemen have tried this new (varieties)? If you look at those that have been around for 26 days, how?" asked President Jokowi. "Not yet sir, if something like this can be 2,000 (quintals) 1 hectare, or 200 tons," replied a sugarcane farmer. "Hopefully there will be results here, from 1,500 (quintals) to 2,000 (quintals) it's really big," said the Head of State. Also attending the event were Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif, Deputy Minister of SOEs I Pahala Nugraha Mansury, Deputy Governor of East Java Emil Elestianto Dardak, and Regent of Mojokerto Ikfina Fahmawati.