Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo encouraged farmers in Indonesia to plant rice using high-yielding varieties that could attract many countries to import rice from Indonesia. Therefore, Syahrul encourages farmers to produce rice this year with four plantings and harvesting or IP 400. "Therefore, the variety used should not be lacking, it must be higher and faster. The varieties must be better, if necessary, we are targeting them for export," Syahrul said while visiting the rice cultivation center in Bone, South Sulawesi, as quoted from the Ministry of Agriculture press release, Tuesday (8/2/2022). Syahrul said that Bone Regency as one of the rice centers must be able to prove itself as an area that produces more rice. In this way, in the future, South Sulawesi Province will again become a pilot for national rice production. "I believe other areas can be examples for national agriculture. Therefore, all existing farmers must be trained first, both in terms of technology and how to plant them. Remember that the highest asset is not money, but enthusiasm and togetherness," he said.
Syahrul said, overall, Indonesia is a fertile country with rice production that is always in surplus. So that in recent years Indonesia has never imported. "In 2020, our stock reached 7 million tons and in 2021 our stock reached 9 million tons. And, if in the future we can continue not to import, then our country is a country that is self-sufficient in food in the rice sector. Moreover, the exchange rate of our farmers will increase, meaning welfare Farmers are also going up," he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Regent of Bone, Ambo Dalle, said that his region was always ready to implement the Ministry of Agriculture's program, especially in increasing production up to 4 times of harvest. "We will support the Ministry of Agriculture's program for optimizing agricultural production. And thank God we are one of the governments that support so that farmers in Bone can plant 4 times a year," he said.
