Bandar Lampung - Corn production in Lampung Province in 2022 was 3,176,771 tons, an increase of 31,796 tons, compared to 2021 of 3,145,015 tons. Most of the corn is absorbed by the animal feed factory. Based on data from the Lampung Province Food Crops and Horticulture Service (KPTPH), the corn planting area in Lampung in 2022 will reach 497,398 hectares, an increase of 54 percent or 2,667 hectares, compared to 2021's 494,731 hectares. The area of corn harvested land in 2022 is 479,067 hectares, an increase of 0.73 percent or 3,495 hectares, compared to 2021 which was 475,572 hectares. The Acting Head of the KPTPH Lampung Service, Kusnardi said, he is trying to maintain the stability of the selling price of corn so that farmers are enthusiastic about planting.
"To maintain corn production, we must maintain price stability. If the price is good, farmers will be enthusiastic about planting corn. Farmers will be motivated to plant corn using varieties that have high production, such as hybrids," said Kusnardi, Monday (9/1/2023). Kusnardi revealed that most of the corn owned by farmers in Lampung is absorbed by animal feed factories or feedmills. Some were sent to other areas such as Banten. "The corn market is still within the region, because there are many feed mills here. Only a small portion is sold to areas on the island of Java, such as Banten. We ensure that the purchase price at the farm level is not low," he explained.
An employee of PT Jiva Agriculture Indonesia, Wahid revealed, this year the company targets to be able to absorb 75 thousand tons of corn belonging to farmers in East Lampung, South Lampung, North Lampung and Central Lampung. “We buy corn from farmers for an average of IDR 2,700 to IDR 2,800 per kilogram. Depending on the water content, the lower the water content, the more expensive it is. Unfortunately, until now many farmers do not understand about this water content," he said. Chairman of the DPW Association of Indonesian Agricultural Extensionists (Perhiptani) Lampung, Sutono said, food sovereignty can be achieved through 5 main things, namely increasing staple food production, stability of staple food prices, increasing the welfare of food business actors, mitigating disturbances to food security, and improving the quality of food consumption and community nutrition.
According to Sutono, the government must side with farmers by increasing farmers' access to sources of capital, inclusive and environmentally friendly rural industrialization, repairing and developing infrastructure and energy supply, and creating a conducive investment climate in the food sector.
“Food sovereignty can be achieved if food production is equal to or greater than national food needs. So that food productivity is needed for strategic commodities such as rice, corn and soybeans," said Sutono. Sutono revealed, the government must carry out serious guidance regarding the intensification of agricultural and plantation crops so that productivity and efficiency increases can actually occur. Furthermore, the use of superior seeds, the latest cultivation technology, pest and disease control and irrigation management. Sutono explained, the agricultural product processing industry program, especially in centers of superior agricultural products, must be seriously guarded, so that the processing industry can actually produce semi-finished products and even final products. “The central government and regional governments must guarantee market prices for all agricultural products at selling prices that benefit farmers. In enforcing the base price, the government must be present to intervene to act as a buffer for stocks and prices," he said. Sutono suggested that food production centers with consumption areas (markets) as well as ports and airports must be connected by sea, land and air transportation networks. According to him, the government must consistently carry out political policies that can increase the competitiveness and welfare of national food producers, and must protect domestic producers from the onslaught of imported food products. "For food commodities that can be produced domestically, there is no need to import. National food producers must be protected from dumping practices and covert subsidies for food exporting countries," he explained.
source: https://kupastuntas.co/2023/01/10/production-jagung-lampung-naik-31796-ton
