Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (AntaranewsKalsel) - Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman asked the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) Regional Division of South Kalimantan to no longer taking a prosperous rice (formerly called raskin or rice for poor) from South Sulawesi for causing operational costs to swell.
"I ask from next year Bulog South Kalimantan to no longer taking rice from South Sulawesi, because it resulted in operating costs, especially transport costs, swells," said Amran in Banjarmasin on Wednesday.
According to him, South Kalimantan has now been able to surplus, so there should be no reason for Bulog to bring rice from other regions.
"Bulog management for raising farmers rice must be addressed, so that farmers choose to sell grain to Bulog than to the middlemen," he said.
Moreover, he added, South Kalimantan now also supply rice to other two provinces, namely Central Kalimantan and East Kalimantan. Bulog should be able to improve the collection of rice in their own areas.
For example, he added, Bulog bought and grind their own grain from farmers, then the price given is not too far from the price on traders or middlemen.
"If South Kalimantan now has surplus rice production, no need to take rice from other regions, in contrast to East Kalimantan, which is minus the production of rice," he said.
Head of South Kalimantan Agriculture Agency Fathurrahman said 2016 is expected to be a surplus of rice up to 800 thousand tons, an increase over the previous year amounted to 700 thousand tons.
The rice surplus, he added, after the rice production target in 2016 is pegged at 2.38 million tons, an increase compared to 2015 was only about 2 million tons.
"I am optimistic that this year's target is achieved, since up to now we have achieved a production of 2.32 million tons," he said.
Agriculture minister arrival to South Kalimantan was to attend the meeting for coordinating the development of agricultural production of rice, corn and soybeans, in the Korem (District Military Command) 101 Antasari in Banjarmasin.
He said the potential of agricultural land in Kalimantan is still quite large, so it should continue to be developed in various ways and the right system.
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Kalimantan Selatan 2016
"I ask from next year Bulog South Kalimantan to no longer taking rice from South Sulawesi, because it resulted in operating costs, especially transport costs, swells," said Amran in Banjarmasin on Wednesday.
According to him, South Kalimantan has now been able to surplus, so there should be no reason for Bulog to bring rice from other regions.
"Bulog management for raising farmers rice must be addressed, so that farmers choose to sell grain to Bulog than to the middlemen," he said.
Moreover, he added, South Kalimantan now also supply rice to other two provinces, namely Central Kalimantan and East Kalimantan. Bulog should be able to improve the collection of rice in their own areas.
For example, he added, Bulog bought and grind their own grain from farmers, then the price given is not too far from the price on traders or middlemen.
"If South Kalimantan now has surplus rice production, no need to take rice from other regions, in contrast to East Kalimantan, which is minus the production of rice," he said.
Head of South Kalimantan Agriculture Agency Fathurrahman said 2016 is expected to be a surplus of rice up to 800 thousand tons, an increase over the previous year amounted to 700 thousand tons.
The rice surplus, he added, after the rice production target in 2016 is pegged at 2.38 million tons, an increase compared to 2015 was only about 2 million tons.
"I am optimistic that this year's target is achieved, since up to now we have achieved a production of 2.32 million tons," he said.
Agriculture minister arrival to South Kalimantan was to attend the meeting for coordinating the development of agricultural production of rice, corn and soybeans, in the Korem (District Military Command) 101 Antasari in Banjarmasin.
He said the potential of agricultural land in Kalimantan is still quite large, so it should continue to be developed in various ways and the right system.
Editor : Mahdani
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Kalimantan Selatan 2016