With Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Cocoa Sustainability Partnership Visit Plant of PT. Pupuk Kaltim in Bontang
Bontang, January 24, 2020—As part of the efforts in increasing the cocoa productivity in Indonesia, Cocoa Sustainability Partnership had worked in developing a specific formula as recommendation in producing cocoa-specific fertilizer since 2017. And in the beginning of 2020, the national government through Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture had included the subsidiary budget allocation for the distribution of NPK specific formula fertilizer for cocoa plantation for some districts in Sulawesi as venues for the implementation and distribution try out.
During the plant visit to PT. Pupuk Kalimantan Timur, Bontang, East Kalimantan, the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs with Cocoa Sustainability Partnership were welcomed by this national fertilizer company. In his remarks, the Production Director of PT. Pupuk Kalimantan Timur stated that the company would be functioned as the pioneer for precision agriculture in increasing the national cocoa production. Furthermore, the company also had established strategic partnership with the government and private sectors, and with strong emotional connections to move forward together with farmers by focussing to the national main commodities with export-oriented, accordingly to the national mid-term plan 2020-2024 and master plan of Indonesian Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises.
“With this learning, the company had compiled the studies with members of Cocoa Sustainability Partnership in producing the NPK Specific Formula for cocoa plantation. And the national government showed good intention on this initiative,” Bagya said.
In similar occasion, the Executive Director of Cocoa Sustainability Partnership said that the initiative with PT. Pupuk Kaltim through NPK 14-12-16-4 fertilizer was an active program of state-owned enterprises holding company in supporting the development of cocoa commodity in Indonesia. Accordingly to the CSP 2020 Roadmap, the target was to outreach 200 million cocoa trees would apply specific fertilizer in 2030. And with this program implementation, CSP and its members had conducted series of try outs and studies that the soil nutrient replenishment fertilizer recommendation for cocoa could be resulted with appropriate nutrient formula.
“The cocoa-specific fertilizer for cocoa plantation is the result of long processes as efforts in improving the national cocoa production. And it is also good news for Indonesian plantation sector that the national government has allocated subsidiary budget for NPK Specific Fertilizer for cocoa,” Wahyu Wibowo said. He also added that the subsidiary budget allocation for this fertilizer, it had been chosen six districts in Sulawesi area for try-out venues for the implementation and distribution of cocoa-specific fertilizer in 2020 fiscal year. And it would be implemented widely in the next fiscal years.
This collective effort also regarded positively by the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, particularly by allocating budget for subsidized fertilizer. The Deputy for Food and Agriculture Coordination, Musdalifah Machmud, said that cocoa commodity was the comparative competitiveness for Indonesia, mostly on how this commodity could increase the bargaining power in dealing with international pressures. It was resulted by reviewing the dependency of international market on our national agricultural and plantation commodities, then it was expected that it could provide benefit for the farmers.
In supporting the national cocoa self-sufficiency, the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture had issued Minister Decree No.1/2020 on Allocation and Highest Distribution Price for Subsidized Fertilizer. With this decree, the allocation for NPK Specific Fertilizer for Central Sulawesi Province and South Sulawesi Province were 17.000 tons and the farmers who had been registered through electronic farmer group definitive plan for fertilizer would have access by paying only Rp. 3.000,- per kilogram through the official distribution unit on sub-district and village level. “The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture are highly committed in establishing the national food self-sufficiency. It can be achieved through NPK specific fertilizer for cocoa program,” as explained by Musdhalifah Machmud.
Furthermore, as mentioned by Musdhalifah Machmud, the Indonesian cocoa production significantly contributed to the growing national gross domestic products and opening of employment on agriculture sector. It also had been included into national mid-term plan in 2020-2024 regarding the productivity improvement and resource sustainability for precision agriculture. “Through the utilization of precision agriculture technology, NPK specific fertilizer is the national priority and highly relevant for the economic establishment in Indonesia,” said Deputy for Food and Agriculture Coordination, Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.
During the plant visit, the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Cocoa Sustainability Partnership, and PT. Pupuk Kalimantan Timur symbolically signed the package of NPK specific fertilizer that would be distributed to the farmers. As for the try-out for implementation and distribution venues, it had been chosen six districts in Sulawesi. In South Sulawesi Province, the districts were Luwu District, East Luwu District, North Luwu District, and Pinrang Districts. And Poso District and Parigi Moutong District in Central Sulawesi Province for 2020 fiscal year. (CSP/AH)