"In a bid to reduce the abuses of subsidized fertilizer, the Ministry of Agriculture has decided to turn its color from white to pink this year," Winarno said.
In making the color of subsidized fertilizer different from non-subsidized one, Winarno said it would be easier for the authorities and farmers to control the fertilizer distribution.
"The color of urea fertilizers is difficult to erase and therefore turning its color to pink will prevent its abuses," Winarno said.
According to him, big differences in prices between subsidized and non-subsidized fertilizers made the abuses to happen because the price of urea subsidized fertilizers was Rp1,800 per kilogram while the non-subsidized one was Rp4,800 per kilogram.
"In the future, the prices of both subsidized and non subsidized fertilizers will be made the same, and the farmers will be given financial assistance to buy the fertilizers but it is a long term plan," he said.
Besides, Winarno called on all parties both from Fertilizer and Pesticide Control Commission (KP3) officials and the farmers to jointly monitor and control the distribution of subsidized fertilizers. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
