indonesian farmer's story

crop failure III

Hundreds of hectares of food barns or food estate in the village of Syria-ria, Pollung District, Humbang Hasundutan Regency is seen as abandoned land in the form of scrubland.

Irma Suryani Lumban Gaol, a food estate farmer since the initial planting stage in 2020, said most of the land was abandoned by farmers because they could no longer plant after crop failure.

He said he got land from the government covering an area of 2 hectares but now can only plant on 1 hectare of land. The commodities he planted were chili, coffee, and corn. The seed and all its needs he bought himself.

The three commodities that Irma is now planting are not included as recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture, namely garlic, onions, and potatoes. According to Irma, the planting of commodities requested by the Ministry is difficult to apply. Because the soil conditions are not optimal for growing garlic or onions.

As for potato commodities, some farmers managed to harvest, but the capital needed reached Rp 140 million per hectare.

"If we grow potatoes, as the government says also the capital Rp 140 million, yes where we can. Where does the farmer's money come from. So the sleeping area," he said.

Irma explained that the failure of the garlic harvest made farmers unable to plant on land for production in the second stage. Because they no longer get any help, including assistance. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture said farmers must be independent after being given help in the first stage.

For Irma, growing horticultural commodities was a difficult process. Moreover, the land in Hambang Hasundutan requires special treatment in order to be suitable for planting these commodities. Although without any experience at all, Irma tried to learn it. However, he hopes the Ministry of Agriculture continues to provide assistance and assistance in the absorption of crops as promised.

The hope was also brought when he went to the hearing with Commission IV of the DPR RI on the same day, Thursday, January 26, 2023. He hopes the government can provide capital assistance to farmers so that the abandoned lands can be cultivated and sold at a reasonable price.

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But Irma resigned because until now there was nothing promised by the government. Even farmers were informed that the management of food estate Humbang Hasundutan had been transferred from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves) led by Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

"There's no word of any more help. But we want there to be funding assistance or supervised, how to make our sleeping land so manageable," he said.

As for each harvest, Irma sells its own products through tauke or middlemen. He admitted until now there has been no cooperation with any company to absorb the harvest.

The only advantage he felt was the provision of fertilizer and medicine in the first stage that made his land fertile. "That's our advantage and the land has been cleared" Irma said.

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Story of Food Estate Farmers Humbang Hasundutan: Forced to Plant Garlic, Failed Harvest, Until ...

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Rr. Ariyani Yakti Widyastuti

For Irma, growing horticultural commodities was a difficult process. Moreover, the land in Hambang Hasundutan requires special treatment in order to be suitable for planting these commodities. Although without any experience at all, Irma tried to learn it. However, he hopes the Ministry of Agriculture continues to provide assistance and assistance in the absorption of crops as promised.

The hope was also brought when he went to the hearing with Commission IV of the DPR RI on the same day, Thursday, January 26, 2023. He hopes the government can provide capital assistance to farmers so that the abandoned lands can be cultivated and sold at a reasonable price.

But Irma resigned because until now there was nothing promised by the government. Even farmers were informed that the management of food estate Humbang Hasundutan had been transferred from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves) led by Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

"There's no word of any more help. But we want there to be funding assistance or supervised, how to make our sleeping land so manageable," he said.

As for each harvest, Irma sells its own products through tauke or middlemen. He admitted until now there has been no cooperation with any company to absorb the harvest.

The only advantage he felt was the provision of fertilizer and medicine in the first stage that made his land fertile. "That's our advantage and the land has been cleared" Irma said.

Limited farmer capital for abandoned land

Limitations of capital that makes the amount of land that becomes abandoned or sleeping land in this food estate make Irma unable to work half of the land. Therefore, he resigned if there is a company that wants to process it even though he only gets a little profit.

"There's someone who's managing this. Let a quarter of the result be the same as us, nothing, which is important to be a living land," he said.

When asked for confirmation about the number of abandoned food estate land, Directorate General of Horticulture Ministry Prihasto Setyanto said it was the responsibility of his own farmers. On the other hand, Prihasto considered that it was the responsibility of the Humbang Hasundutan Agriculture Department.

"Ask the farm, I was. Cook ask us. That's what I don't like. Do not ask us continue to ask the same farmers," said Prihasto when met at the Coffee Hotel Ayola Dolok Sanggul, Thursday, January 26, 2023.

Prihasto claimed that the Ministry had provided intensive assistance. As for the failure of the garlic harvest at the first stage, he said the Ministry of Agriculture had indeed given recommendations for planting the commodity. However, there needs to be a long process so that the results can be optimal.

Prihasto claimed that the Ministry had provided intensive assistance. As for the failure of the garlic harvest at the first stage, he said the Ministry of Agriculture had indeed given recommendations for planting the commodity. However, there needs to be a long process so that the results can be optimal.

The food estate camp did not fail

The problem, he said, was that the Ministry of Agriculture had to do all soil conditioning for less than six months, from August to December 2020. However, because this project began in the middle of the year, the Ministry was pressed to complete it for the realization of the 2020 budget that could not jump years.

"What do you expect? Difficult right? Yes already. Is culture like people returning palms?" Prihasto.

He also denied the failure of garlic harvest that occurred in the first stage of this food granary megaproject.

He claimed that in the first stage, the average farmer harvested about 2.7 tons of garlic. If 2.7 tons are sold at a price of Rp 10,000 per kilogram, he said, then farmers should be able to cultivate the land back in the next planting season with the proceeds of the sale.

The Ministry also said it did not interfere with the harvest, especially in sales. Prihasto said that all crops are given to farmers and are free to use for anything.

He also claimed that no farmers had failed in this food barn program, because the government had tried to open land, provide seeds, fertilizers and labor for the farmers involved.

"There's no harm. The farmer was just a barge. Or else she harvests money. The hope is that the money is used for capital back. Sales are none of our business" Prihasto said.