Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan announced an ambitious acceleration of the national food self-sufficiency timeline, moving the target forward to 2027 from the earlier planned 2028.
"Recently, the President (Prabowo Subianto) at the G20 (Summit) and at APEC has stated that (Indonesia's self-sufficiency target) is set at 2027, (not) 2028. We have two years," Hasan noted at a press conference during the coordination meeting related to food here on Thursday.
The minister emphasized that the compressed two-year timeframe demands heightened efforts from relevant ministries to address and overcome obstacles impeding the achievement of food self-sufficiency.
He underscored the need to solve problems such as the slow distribution of subsidized fertilizers for farmers.
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Hasan explained that subsidized fertilizer distribution necessitates the issuance of a ministerial decree by the agriculture minister, which must subsequently be forwarded to Pupuk Indonesia, the state-owned fertilizer production company.
Pupuk Indonesia then distributes the fertilizers to farmer groups. He also emphasized that Pupuk Indonesia must dispense the fertilizers on target and on time.
At the coordination meeting, Hasan also brought about the commodity balance, the presidential regulation regarding the distribution of subsidized fertilizers, and the authorities of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) and the Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin).
In addition, Hasan suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture become involved in determining the list of food-related businesses in supporting the food self-sufficiency target.
On a separate occasion, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman highlighted that the government would soon simplify regulations regarding the distribution of subsidized fertilizers to farmers.
He noted that no fewer than 147 regulations overseeing subsidized fertilizer distribution had been identified as a major barrier to farmers receiving their supplies when needed.
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Translator: Maria P, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
