Resisting To COVID-19, Minister Of Agriculture Syahrul: Agriculture Grows When Other Sectors Are Red

Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo at the Agrinovation Conference, at Menara Mandiri (photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - The agricultural sector continues to grow positively even when many other sectors experience contraction during the COVID-19 pandemic. This condition shows agriculture is the most resilient sector.

This was conveyed by the Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo at the Agrinovation Conference, at the Mandiri Tower, Jakarta, Wednesday, March 15.

"In the COVID-19 period, only agriculture supports this country. Other sectors are red, only agriculture is able to grow 16.24 percent," said Minister of Agriculture Syahrul.

In fact, said Syahrul, which during the COVID-19 pandemic whose exports were still running was the agricultural sector.

"It turns out that there are so many challenges, it turns out that it makes agriculture even more open, not the other way around," he said.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the value of agricultural exports has grown in the last four years. Where in 2019, the export value was recorded at IDR 390.16 trillion. In 2020, this value grew 15 percent to IDR 451.77 trillion.

Then in 2021, it was again recorded that it rose 36.43 percent to Rp616.35 trillion. The export value has increased again by 6.79 percent to Rp658.18 trillion.

"Look, starting from Rp. 300 trillion, finally Rp. 600 trillion, this year it has to go through Rp. 1,000 trillion. Come on, let's go," he said.

In fact, the exchange rate of farmers in February 2023 reached 110.53 or had exceeded the pre-pandemic period. Likewise, the Nilia exchange of farmers' businesses increased to 110.74.

Even so, Syahrul admitted that now he can no longer use ordinary methods. According to him, agriculture needs a good ecosystem to be more advanced. Starting from financing, processing, and marketing as well.

"Our ways yesterday were not enough. We must be aggressive to see the enormous space and opportunities of this nation, if we ignore it, this can be a problem," he explained.

Not only that, according to Syahrul, the agricultural sector must be further developed with the latest technology systems and support. Therefore, Syahrul invites startups or agricultural startups to be involved in the development of this sector.

His farming is related to the logistics ecosystem, transportation. We are 2,700 islands of Indonesia, startups have opportunities. So everything that overstock stores in the startup tomorrow can be divided," he said.