medcom.id, Jakarta: National sugarcane production continues to decline. Several problems have affected the production of sugarcane, among others the low price of sugar, causing the farmers to reduce the available sugarcane farm areas.
"In the past several years, there was the problem of bad sugar price. The sugarcane [farming] areas were declining," said the Director of PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (Persero) Didik Prasetyo, at the office of Indonesian Sugar Association, Jakarta, Monday (4/4/2016).
He added that related stakeholders should find solution to address the issue. One of the possibilities is to provide income guarantee to sugarcane farmers to prevent them from losing profit.
"We are seeking the formula for farmers to expand their sugarcane farms. For them to be interested in planting sugarcanes. For example, with income guarantee, the farmers will maintain their areas, as when they harvest, they will gain (profit)," he explained.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Sugarcane Farmers Association (APTRI) recorded that Indonesia had the highest production of sugarcane in 2008, with the number reaching 2.8 million tons, compared to 1998-1999 with only 1.4 million tons of production.
"However, there was a problem on the fertilizers, which we are trying to solve. We will complete the regulations at the Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Agriculture. It is to push the sugar self-sufficiency," affirmed the Head of APTRI, Abdul Wahid.
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