PT Kubota Machinery Indonesia

Minister of Agriculture Syahrul: Farmers are Heroes of the Nation

Jakarta – Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo reiterated the important role of farmers in national development. For this reason, Syahrul asked his staff to continue to improve the welfare of farmers.

“Farmers are the heroes of the nation’s food security, the government should not let them down,” he said in a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture’s Tasyakuran event to celebrate the 76th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia, Tuesday (17/08/2021), as quoted from the Ministry of Agriculture’s official website.

Syahrul mentioned that the Farmer Exchange Rate (NTP) and the Agricultural Business Exchange Rate (NTUP) as indicators of farmers’ welfare are currently increasing. In July, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that the NTP reached 103.48, while NTUP was 103.77.

“In the last two years, the NTP has stayed in the range of 100 to 103. We have to maintain and improve it,” he said.

Farmers, according to Syahrul, have an important role in the large contribution of the agricultural sector to the national economy, especially in the midst of the current Covid-19 pandemic.

“When all sectors are down, the agriculture sector serves as a positive role for the country. This is a very proud moment and thanks to the hard work of all parties, especially the farmers in the field,” Syahrul said.

According to BPS in the second quarter of 2021, the agricultural sector experienced the highest growth on a quarter-to-quarter (Q-to-Q) basis when compared to other sectors. Notably, the agricultural sector grew by 12.93 percent.

“The agriculture sector has proven that it can protect the nation and the state by providing enough food, no price fluctuation, and contributing to the national economic recovery,” Syahrul said.

Syahrul also conveyed the appreciation from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to the agricultural people who helped boost the performance of agricultural exports. “The performance of agricultural exports received appreciation from President Jokowi for its contribution to the nation” Syahrul said.

The Merdeka Ekspor event held on August 14, Syahrul said, is one of the benchmarks of the success of the agricultural sector. At the event, agricultural commodity exports were released simultaneously to 61 countries from 17 ports and airports.

At the ceremony led by President Jokowi from Bogor Palace, the export volume was recorded at 627.399 thousand tons with a value of Rp 7.29 trillion. “We are able to give more than 7 trillion to the country, only in 7 days. This is a spectacular thing,” Syahrul explained.

As part of the celebration, MOA also gave awards to 248 agricultural personnel who were considered exemplary and outstanding. The Ministry of Agriculture symbolically also presented awards to agricultural personnel, including farmers, breeders, extension workers, and researchers. They were selected because they were considered outstanding and a role model for other agricultural personnel.

The Ministry of Agriculture also awarded the 20-Year Satya Lencana Karya Satya to 14 people, the 10-Year Satya Lencana Karya Satya to 41 people, and the Abdi Bakti Tani Award to 39 Public Service Work Units in the Agriculture Sector within the Provincial, Regency and City Governments.

Indonesian farmers, of course, employs Kubota agricultural machinery. The DC-93 harvesting machine has a larger cutter width and operating speed, increasing the working capacity of the harvesting machine. Moreover, the KUBOTA DC-93 harvesting machine is now equipped with KIS KIT, so that the KUBOTA harvesting machine owners can monitor the movement of the machine and monitor the condition of the machine remotely.