The Fall Of The Agricultural Sector, Questionable Performance Of The Minister Of Agriculture

Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) noted that the agricultural sector has experienced a significant decline. The food crops sub-sector decreased by 0.54 percent and the smallholder plantation sub-sector by 2.30 percent. The decline in Farmers Exchange Rate (NTP) was due to a decline in prices for several commodities.

The legislature and a number of parties have also highlighted the performance of the Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo, who is considered not right in fighting for farmers. Member of Commission IV, Darori Wonodipuro, admitted that the Minister's performance was not optimal. He also considered that the Ministry of Agriculture was only great at promotion, while the performance was poor.

"The Ministry of Agriculture did not connect in terms of communication. Yesterday, the time for discussing the budget was tough. The longest, what was wanted was less responsive. Until the meeting was up to 8 times. Meanwhile, with KKP and forestry 3 times it has been completed," said Darori in a statement received by VOI, Saturday June 6.

In fact, he continued, many associations meeting with the DPR asked several Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture to be removed.

"The promotion is extraordinary, but if the matter of performance is not what we expected. For example, in the DPR, the budget issue is not discussed in units of three. Indeed, it was not discussed in the DPR, but collapsed and was caught by the leadership. million. 700 thousand chickens, what is that? Fortunately, if not found out, who is responsible. It must be controlled, "he said.

He also said that the Minister of Agriculture did not listen to the aspirations of farmers. In fact, for him, the Minister of Agriculture is only concerned with himself.

"The aspirations of farmers should be heard. Don't want him, but ask the farmers what they want. For example, we import garlic, in Temanggung it is harvesting again. It doesn't sell. Why not buy it, (farmers) complain to me. Imports are a lot of fees. If the local is caught. Yes. What is it about people competing to import during the harvest season, "he said.

Asked about the need for the Minister of Agriculture to be replaced because of his performance, Dorori handed it over to President Joko Widodo. "We will submit the reshuffle issue to the President. He can judge which ministers are less than optimal," he said.

Lower Prices for Agricultural Commodities

On another occasion, the Chairman of the Indonesian Horticultural Association, Anton Muslim Arbi also revealed that the Ministry of Agriculture's performance has not been optimal. In fact, the decline in commodity prices must be evaluated immediately.

"Because it was true that before Jokowi's administration it was still SBY's era, there were bilateral and multilateral signings. For example with ASEAN, free trade. Then it became an issue which Faisal Basri as a senior economist has recently discussed, that we accept or for example import. agricultural products reached Rp. 30 trillion. This is an extraordinary figure, "he said.

This means, he continued, with the number of Indonesian people, of course, the need for large agricultural consumption. However, he said, why did commodities come from China.

"Then, for example, BPS released data showing that our agricultural sector data had fallen. Well, I have not heard of the two periods of the government of the Ministry of Agriculture," he added.

Yesterday, he continued, the government carried out self-sufficiency in garlic. However, he said, currently the Minister of Agriculture Yasin Limpo is no longer.

"I am afraid that there is some kind of cartel playing. This cartel is sorry, yes, it is very easy for cartels to use this game to boost agricultural products from outside imports, then there are rents obtained, then those rents become political costs and etc. This is also a problem, "said Anton.

So, he said, BPS data could be Jokowi's reference for evaluating the Minister of Agriculture. "Very possible. It means that he has been proud, I also do not know what the Ministry of Agriculture is proud of. Because until today starting the inauguration in October, how many months have been running, about 6 months but we have not heard," he said.

On a separate occasion, political observer from KedaiKOPI, Hendri Satrio, said that President Jokowi wanted to have a legacy, or a good legacy for the Indonesian people to remember. Currently, Jokowi's second term is reaching the age of one.

"Pak Jokowi has two terms leading the government and it will end in 2024, surely he wants to have legacy. One of the things that can become legacy is agriculture. If you look at the previous performance of the Minister of Agriculture, Pak Amran, I think it has put a lot of good standards, and this needs to be continued, "he said.

According to Hendri, the current Minister of Agriculture should be able to leave a good legacy.

"If it can't be more than the previous Minister of Agriculture, or at least the same, I think it needs to be evaluated, go ahead, Pak Jokowi must have records for the performance of his ministers," he said.

Ministry of Agriculture's Strategy in the New Normal

On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) states that food handling efforts are prepared by preparing three strategies when facing a new normal or a new normal. Meanwhile, a massive increase in the farmer exchange rate (NTP) will be carried out by increasing the selling price of unhulled rice so that the target for additional NTP is 103 points, higher than some time before, or by 102.09 points.

Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo explained the first strategy, namely the SOS agenda, or emergency which was discovered when the price of chicken had fallen some time ago. For farmers, their chickens will be purchased by partners and facilitated by the government for cold storage.

He emphasized that the decrease in NTP was not caused by inaccurate farmer production results but because of the impact of COVID-19 which caused a slowdown in transportation, distribution, and restrictions on various social accelerations (large-scale social restrictions / PSBB).

Due to various restrictions in dealing with COVID-19, NTP has decreased and there must be a solution for attitude, namely building a buffer stock for 11 food commodities, then developing markets and farmer shops, social safety nets for farmers, maintaining price stability.

The second strategy for the medium-term agenda is to maximize exports by intervening in the agricultural industry so as not to lay off its employees. There is also relaxation of labor intensive activities by providing seeds or seeds so that commodity production continues. There is also a long-term agenda, namely increasing agricultural production.