Banjarmasin (Antaranews, South Kalimantan) - South Kalimantan with a total area of about 37,000 km2 is not possible to develop a plantation of garlic and onions, though it is an agricultural area.
"The condition of our land do not seem suitable for cultivation or plantation business development for onion," says a former employee of The South Kalimantan Agriculture Agency, H Hasmy Fadillah Akbar, before leaving for Padang, West Sumatra, on Tuesday.
According to the Hasmy, who was an alumnus of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Lambung Mangkurat, in the past South Kalimantan has tried to grow onions and garlic, but the result is not good.
The former member of Commission II in economics and finance of South Kalimantan House of Representative explained, not all areas are suitable for planting or develop onions plantation. For example, in Java, onion plantations are common in Central Java, such as Brebes, but not in West Java and East Java, although both are irrigation areas. More over for South Kalimatan which land less fertile than Java, and not entirely the irrigated areas.
Thus, South Kalimantan will remain dependent to other areas as producers of that vegetables plant, he told.
While for garlic, it seems Indonesia has not been able to remove the chain of imports, and still limited in its own production. "Most importantly, how does the government regulate the marketing imported garlic, so as not happen a shortage and prices soar," said Hasmy.
Editor : Hasan Zainuddin
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