West Sumatra Governor Asks Office For A Borost Alsintan Procurement Evaluation

West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Ansharullah (ANTARA/Mario Sofia Nasution)

West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Ansarullah asked the Department of Plantation, Food Crops and Horticulture to evaluate the procurement of Agricultural Machine Equipment (Alsintan) in the local area because it was considered wasteful and not on target.

"I received information that this agricultural machine tool was not used because it did not match the needs of farmer groups and even the specifications did not match," Mahyeldi said in Padang as reported by ANTARA, Monday, July 17.

He said this needs to be evaluated. He also found that this alsintan was allowed to rain and heat, not being well maintained even though it was difficult. It is necessary to manage and control and supervise this tool.

"In this procurement, of course, it is necessary to coordinate both assistance from the center in the form of the main ideas of the DPR RI and from West Sumatra through the main ideas of the West Sumatra DPRD," he said.

Mahyeldi assessed that the current amount of alsintan is too much and is too wasteful in procurement and does not even see the needs of farmers in West Sumatra.

"If Alsintan's assistance is not as needed, then don't take it down and at this time many alsintan are piled up unused. In addition, the distribution of Alsintan must be carried out by the Service so that it is not wrong in management and authority," he said.

The Governor of West Sumatra said that there is a need to map agricultural needs so that West Sumatra's agricultural production increases and can improve the welfare of farmers and meet food needs.

The West Sumatra Provincial Government itself has allocated a budget of 10 percent of the West Sumatra APBD, which is more than Rp. 650 billion for the agricultural, plantation, livestock and fishery sectors that have been running since the beginning of the Mahyeldi-Audy administration.

"This budget is quite large so that the results obtained must certainly be more optimal. This increase already exists and this is evidenced by the exchange rate of farmers which reached 111 since the beginning of 2023.

"Hopefully this farmer's exchange rate can increase with new technology and good seeds given to the community to increase production and reduce costs," he said.