Minister of Agriculture harvests corn in Tajau Pecah Village

Pelaihari, S Kalimantan (Antaranews Kalsel) - Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman harvested corn in Tajau Pecah Village, Batu Ampar Subdistrict, Tanah Laut, South Kalimantan, Monday (25/2).


Minister Andi Amran said in 2018 Indonesia exported 380 thousand tons corn. "This year, exports are targeted to be even higher, which is 500 thousand tons produced from central regions, such as Gorontalo, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi and later South Kalimantan," he said in Pelaihari.

Amran also added that South Kalimantan has the potential to become a national corn granary area.

"I see from the plane a tremendous amount of land area that South Kalimantan has can be used to grow corn," he said.

Separately, Regent H Sukamta revealed, in the planting period from October to March 2018 the area of maize in Tanah Laut was 22 thousand hectares.

"Most of it has been harvested and the current harvest area is around 15 thousand hectares," he said.

He added, the price of corn in Tanah Laut was quite good at Rp. 3,500 per kilo for dry harvesting and if the water content reached 14 percent the price is Rp 5,200 per kilo.

"At present the market is very wide open because we have two animal feed factories, in fact our corn supply is lacking," he said.

The regent admitted that he was pushing for an expansion of corn in the Tanah Laut.

"We are trying to expand with intercropping with oil palm plants and cooperation with companies to manage corn land," he said.

The harvesting activity was attended by South Kalimantan Governor H Sahbirin Noor and the Regional VI Mulawarman Military Commander (Pangdam) Maj. Gen. TNI Subiyanto.