Acting Minister Of Agriculture Pursues Production Target With 65 Days Of Rice Harvest

Plt. Minister of Agriculture, Arief Prasetyo Adi (right) during the harvest of new superior MSP 65 rice fields at the Dem Area Pangan PT Sang Hyang Seri Ciasem Girang Village, Kec. Sukamandi, Subang Regency, West Java (20/10/2023). ANTARA/HO-Ministry

JAKARTA - Plt. Minister of Agriculture Arief Prasetyo Adi carried out a new superior rice harvest, namely rice genjah which can be harvested within 65 days named MSP 65.

The MSP65 distribution variety is one of the efforts to achieve the production target of 35 million tons of rice equivalent rice by 2024.

"I hope that later this can be planted by fellow farmers and can be an alternative during the dry season like today," said Plt. Minister of Agriculture Arief was reported by ANTARA, Saturday, October 21.

Arief, who harvested rice at the Dem Area Pangan PT Sang Hyang Seri, Ciasem Girang Village, Sukamandi District, Regency. Subang, West Java, said the production target for the Ministry of Agriculture was increased from 31 million tons to 35 million tons (equivalent to rice) for 2024. Thus, the MSP 65 distribution variety must be immediately released so that it can be distributed to farmers.

"Of course this needs to work together with all parties and I emphasize that there is no exclusivity from one ministry or institution. Right now is the time for mutual cooperation to increase agricultural productivity, especially rice, in accordance with the President's direction," he said.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of Food Crops, Suwandi, appreciated the new breakthrough. According to him, the release of the MSP 65 distribution variety could be one of the good steps to encourage increased production.

Regarding the handling of the impact of El Nino, he said that his party had consolidated with various related parties both in the ranks of the Ministry of Agriculture and with other ministries or institutions.

There are nine actions that are currently being intensified by the Ministry of Agriculture, including the pursuit of planting movements, increasing IP (Indeks Planting) and provitas based on mapping drought areas.

Then the expansion of rice planting areas for potential districts is planted during dry season with saprodies, pumps and wells, as well as seeds as compensation for affected and extreme climate puso, tidal areas, lebak swamps, vacant land or m