Minister Of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo Asks Farmers In Southeast Sulawesi To Increase Harvests To 8 Tons Per Hectare

JAKARTA - The Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, Syahrul Yasin Limpo asked rice farmers in Southeast Sulawesi, especially those in Cialam Jaya Village, Konda District, South Konawe Regency to increase their harvest to 8 tons per hectare.

"If the land is managed properly, there is sufficient water, quality varieties are controlled by the Governor, the Regents with the head of the service and extension services are brought by us, of course we hope that the productivity is not like it is now only 4.2 tons but can be 6 to 7 tons, some even could be 8 tons per hectare," said Syahrul in South Konawe, quoted from Antara, Saturday, August 20.

Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo and his entourage made a working visit to Cialam Jaya Village, Konda District, South Konawe accompanied by Southeast Sulawesi Governor Ali Mazi and South Konawe Regent Surunuddin Dangga.

The Minister of Agriculture said the purpose of the working visit in the area was to boost agricultural productivity, because Indonesia's inflation could be at the lowest position supported by the sector.

"We are improving cultivation in this case, starting with varieties and agricultural tools," said the Minister of Agriculture.

He admitted that he had agreed with the Southeast Sulawesi Provincial Government and several district governments, one of which was South Konawe to prepare a 1,000-hectare land.

"Earlier we agreed to roll out several districts of 1,000 hectares, with the hope that in addition to the planting season two to three times or there are four times if the irrigation is good we will achieve it there," he said.

The Minister of Agriculture requested that farmers in the area be given training and assistance that is getting stronger by implementing digital systems in agriculture.

Syahrul hopes that the post-harvest will be managed properly so that the output of rice is of high quality and thus will make the marketing better.

"If all of us are united in Southeast Sulawesi, we believe that food security is being shaken globally, we are ready to face this crisis. We are ready to face any turmoil, at least food is available in Southeast Sulawesi and the Eastern region," said the Minister of Agriculture.

Southeast Sulawesi Governor Ali Mazi said the potential for agricultural productive land in Southeast Sulawesi is 2,858,277 hectares consisting of 82,117 hectares of functional rice fields, non-rice fields or fields and 2,734,267 hectares of dry land.

"Especially the potential area of raw rice fields in South Konawe is 2,040,095 hectares and now we are in Konda District, Cialam Jaya Village with an area of 1,391 hectares of rice fields," said the Governor.

The governor said that Southeast Sulawesi's food crop commodities, especially rice, had experienced a surplus since 2019, as evidenced by 2021 his party sent 1,000 tons of rice to North Sulawesi through the State Logistics Agency.

In addition, corn commodities have also been marketed to Surabaya, indicating that Southeast Sulawesi Province can become one of the national food barns, especially in the central and eastern regions of Indonesia.

"We hope that the rice production of the Southeast Sulawesi farming community in the future will not only maintain the availability of regional food but also the availability of national food in facing global challenges such as uncertain climate change and the threat of a food crisis," said Ali Mazi.