Deputy Minister urges farmers to focus on exports to strengthen Indonesia's agribusiness
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono has invited Indonesian agripreneurs to focus on developing export-oriented businesses in order to strengthen national agribusiness, expand global markets, and increase the added value of agricultural products.
“If the government is currently opening up opportunities to export chicken feet to China, rubber to Russia, or other commodities, agripreneurs must take part,” Sudaryono said in a confirmed statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He emphasised this point while inaugurating the management of Pengusaha Tani Indonesia (PTI), the Indonesian Agripreneurs Association, and opening the association’s first National Working Meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture.
He urged PTI to shift its business orientation away from merely pursuing government projects towards building large, competitive, export-oriented agricultural businesses.
According to Sudaryono, who is familiarly known as Mas Dar, the biggest opportunities in the agricultural sector today lie not in government projects but in the expansion of global markets, which the government continues to open alongside efforts to strengthen national production.
“Do not just seek access to government projects. Build large businesses, healthy businesses, export-oriented businesses,” he said.
He said that the policy direction of President Prabowo Subianto has positioned agriculture as a national priority sector. For this reason, all agricultural business players must be able to seize the opportunities arising from this policy, particularly in strengthening production and expanding export markets.
He cautioned that government project opportunities are limited and that all processes are closely monitored by various institutions.
Conversely, Sudaryono continued, the opportunities for agricultural business are far greater if business players are able to build marketing networks and make use of international market access.
“We want agripreneurs to use the networks we have to open up markets. The opportunities are far greater than merely competing for projects. The orientation must be exports and creating added value,” he said.
He went on to say that the current government’s policy under President Prabowo is fully committed to strengthening the agricultural sector.
Therefore, business players must align their business strategies with the direction of national development, which places food self-sufficiency as the top priority.
“If today’s era is the era of food self-sufficiency, then businesspeople must move in that direction. Do not instead seek ventures that run counter to government policy. This is a major momentum that must be seized,” he said.
He added that the government is currently running a development programme for nine strategic plantation commodities, such as coconut, cocoa, coffee, nutmeg, pepper, and other export commodities, supported by a budget of around Rp9.9 trillion.
The programme is expected to open up new business opportunities in the trading, processing, and export of agricultural products.
“If the government is developing centres for coconut, cocoa, coffee, or nutmeg, then agripreneurs must be ready to become traders, processors, and even exporters of these commodities. The opportunities are enormous,” he explained.
Sudaryono cited the government’s success in opening direct export access for Indonesian durians to China as an example. According to him, this success proves that the government continues to open new markets that national business players must take advantage of.
In addition, he affirmed that all services at the Ministry of Agriculture are carried out cleanly and transparently. Therefore, the public is asked not to trust parties claiming to act on his behalf or on behalf of Ministry of Agriculture officials to offer assistance in exchange for payment.
“If anyone claims to be my associate or claims they can arrange something in my name, just report them. There is no such practice. All services are carried out openly and in accordance with the rules,” he affirmed.