"If there are parties who hinder (the distribution), report them to journalists so that it (the news) can reach me quickly," he said during a meeting on agricultural equipment at the Siliwangi III Military Command Headquarters, Bandung, West Java, on Tuesday.
He expressed the hope that the distribution of subsidized fertilizers will not be impeded by distributors, retailers, or certain parties that can disadvantage farmers.
Sulaiman affirmed that he is carrying out monitoring every day, both through activities in the field and reading information through the mass media against parties indulging in unscrupulous practices.
He said that the additional budget for fertilizer subsidies has reached Rp28 trillion (around US$1.74 billion), an increase of 100 percent. Therefore, the availability of subsidized fertilizers has increased to 9.55 million tons from just 4.5 million tons.
On the same occasion, Bandung district head Dadang Supriatna expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, especially the increased subsidized fertilizer quota, to boost agricultural productivity in West Java.
"I'd also like to express my gratitude to the farmers for continuing to produce with extraordinary results. Hopefully, the minister's presence will increase our enthusiasm for strengthening national food (production)," he added.
Earlier, on March 28, 2024, Minister Sulaiman said that the budget for fertilizer subsidies had been increased by Rp28 trillion to Rp54 trillion (around US$3.36 billion).
According to him, the additional allocation was a follow-up to several meetings and limited meetings with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and related ministers, including Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati.
Related news: Indonesia boosts fertilizer subsidy by Rp28 trillion
Related news: Subsidized fertilizer distribution app should be simplified: Minister
Related news: Government decides to increase fertilizer budget, provide free seeds
Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
