Minister Of Agriculture Asks Law Enforcers To Arrest 'Players' Of Subsidized Fertilizers

Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Arman Sulaiman during a dialogue with farmers in Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, South Sumatra, Tuesday (14/11/2023) (ANTARA/Ahmad Rafli Baiduri)

PALEMBANG - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman asked law enforcement officials to arrest individuals who are playing with subsidized fertilizers.

"The government loves its people, therefore no one should pay to take subsidized fertilizer. I ask the Chief of Police to take care of the people who play, don't ask, arrest them immediately," said the Minister of Agriculture during a dialogue with farmers in Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, South Sumatra, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, November 14.

He said many people had gone to prison for playing with subsidized fertilizers. In addition, reminding people to disturb farmers, they will deal with themselves.

"If I have become a minister, I love farmers, I don't want farmers to be disturbed. If farmers are disturbed, you will face the minister," he said.

He said farmers, one of the pillars, met food security that was synonymous with the needs of the state. Because, if a country experiences a food crisis, it is difficult to overcome.

"We still survive the economic and health crisis, but the food crisis is that no human can withstand hunger if three days and three nights don't eat. That's another country that has been starving, don't spread to Indonesia. Therefore, please, Mr. Regent, no one disturbs farmers anymore," he said.

The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) has made South Sumatra Province one of the national food barns.

Amran said the reason he wanted to make South Sumatra a national food barn was because South Sumatra has the potential for land that has not been cultivated covering an area of 470 thousand hectares.