Banyumas farmers seek debt relief<\/p>\n
Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto<\/p>\n
Some 2,500 farmers in Tambak and Sampiuh subdistricts in Banyumas
\nregency are seeking relief in respect of debt arrears worth Rp
\n2.1 billion under the farm credit scheme (KUT) following the
\ndestruction by storms of large areas of paddy fields in the
\nregency by.<\/p>\n
The farmers said they had no other assets left to sell in
\norder to repay the loans that were due to mature this month.<\/p>\n
Sanwirjaka, a resident of Tambak subdistrict, said that more
\nthan 1,300 farmers in the subdistrict were unable to repay their
\nloans, which had been extended through the local administration.<\/p>\n
\"It is impossible for any of the farmers in the subdistrict to
\nrepay their debts as their rice fields have been completely
\ndestroyed by the recent floods. In fact, we are facing starvation
\nbecause of the recent halting by the local government of its food
\naid for the disaster victims,\" he said, adding that no farmer had
\nbeen able to harvest a rice crop in the subdistrict.<\/p>\n
According to data from the Banyumas regent's office, the total
\nloans disbursed by the central government to the regency amounted
\nto Rp 36.93 billion, out of which only Rp 17.269 billion had been
\nrepaid through the local administration.<\/p>\n
Rofiq, chief of the local administration's finance section,
\nsaid he would forward the farmers' request to the Ministry of
\nFinance in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"We are really confused by the absence of regulations on how
\nto tackle such a case as this. It's the first case of its kind
\nthat the local administration has had to face,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Soenarto Arief, chairman of the Banyumas legislative council's
\nCommission B for economic affairs, called on both the local and
\ncentral governments to give a positive response to the farmers'
\nrequest.<\/p>\n
\"Both the central and local governments should share the
\nfarmers' suffering by waiving the obligation for them to pay
\ninterest on their loans,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He admitted that his commission had received many requests for
\nthe government to adopt a special policy to allow the farmers to
\nrepay their loans at an appropriate time in the future.<\/p>\n
\"The legislative council has set up a team to check out the
\nreal situation on the ground. It will recommend that the local
\nadministration take over the farmers' debt problem should it be
\nimpossible for them to repay their debts,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/banyumas-farmers-seek-debt-relief-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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