Many S Kalimantan farmers allegedly do not join groups

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan,  (Antaranews Kalsel) - The South Kalimantan Food and Horticultural Crops Agency and fertilizer producers suspected that farmers in the province, which consisting of 13 districts and municipalities, do not join farmer groups (poktan).

Because they do not participate in the groups, they have difficulty to get subsidized fertilizer and said they are rare, said Head of Agriculture Tools and  Facility of the agency Muhammad Birundhani in Banjarmasin on Thursday.

He presented the allegations at a working meeting with Commission II for Economic and Financial Affairs of the provincial legislative council (DPRD) which was also attended by the fertilizer producers.

According to Muhammad Birundhani and representatives of PT Pupuk Kaltim and PT Petro Kimia Gresik, those joining farmers groups have a Group Need Definitive Plan (RDKK) for various fertilizers.

Based on the RDKK, farmers who are members will have no difficulty obtaining subsidized fertilizers, at least to meet about 50 percent of the need, while the rest are non-subsidized, said Head of Marketing PT Pupuk Kaltim of Kalimantan Area Abdul Khalik.

The reason, he added, the government only subsidizes 50 percent of RDKK. For example, urea fertilizer for South Kalimantan based on RDKK is about 61,000 tons for one year, but the government subsidy is only 33,800 tons.

"But we as producers are ready to provide fertilizer needs of farmers as a whole," he said answering a member of the pressroom of the DPRD after the meeting.

"Indeed, subsidized fertilizers such as urea are only Rp1,800/kg, while non-subsidies above Rp4.000/ kg. But if calculated with the production, farmers still have profit," said Abdul Khalik.

Earlier Secretary of Commission II of DPRD Imam Suprastowo and it member Muharram told many complaints of farmers in the province due to difficulties in obtaining subsidized fertilizers, while non-subsidized were consider expensive.

Therefore, Imam and Muharram, who also Chairman of the South Kalimantan Farmers and Fishermen Association (KTNA), suspect there is a lack of distribution in subsidized fertilizer.