"I have conveyed this to (President-elect) Prabowo and (President) Jokowi. Our future lies in Kalimantan and Papua where the lands are vast. We can set up (farm) mechanization for corn, sugarcane, or rice there," Hasan stated at the meeting with the House of Representatives' (DPR's) Commission VI here on Monday (July 8).
The minister explained that Indonesia can no longer hinge its agriculture production solely on Java as agricultural lands in the nation's most populous island are shrinking due to developments.
Hasan underscored the need for support from other islands if the government targets self-sufficiency for primary agricultural commodities, such as rice or sugar.
"The land (in Java) is shrinking as all changed into factories or housing complexes. As we aspire for self-sufficiency in sugar or rice, it is no longer possible to be achieved by Java alone," the minister remarked.
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Hasan also highlighted the adverse effects of agriculture production dependence on Java, including price volatility and declining productivity, that compelled the government to rely on imports to fulfill domestic demands.
The minister pointed out that it further exposed Indonesia to risks when other countries restricted their exports, such as the recent rice export ban in India from which Indonesia sought its supplies, which led to the domestic price of the commodity surging.
"Hence, as (President-elect) Prabowo concurred, our future lies in Papua and Kalimantan, where we can set up (farm) mechanization," Hasan stated.
"We hope that by doing so, we can achieve sugar and rice self-sufficiency in five years, as long as we are serious and DPR supports it," he remarked.
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Translator: M Harianto, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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