Minister: Rp350 billion prepared to develop plantations in Lampung
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that the government has prepared a budget of Rp350 billion to accelerate the development of the plantation sector in Lampung as an effort to increase productivity and strengthen the competitiveness of national commodities.
“We have prepared that for plantation development in Lampung, the seedlings are ready, the total budget for everything is Rp350 billion,” said the Minister when met at the Ministry of Agriculture office in Jakarta on Thursday.
The Minister said that on Wednesday (26/8), he had inspected coffee and cocoa nursery sites in Bangun Rejo Village, Central Lampung Regency.
“We went to Lampung, we saw the cocoa and coffee, the seedlings were excellent. I thanked the plantation team, the seedlings were excellent,” he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture is strengthening coffee and cocoa development in Lampung through the provision of 2.6 million seedlings to support the development of around 18,000 hectares.
The programme is part of government support to expand plantation commodities while increasing productivity and farmer welfare.
He said that of the total plantation development target of 30,000 hectares in Lampung, around 18,000 hectares are designated for coffee and cocoa, while the remainder is for sugarcane.
“The plantation assistance target is 30,000 hectares. 18,000 hectares for coffee and cocoa. God willing, this will be very beneficial for farmers,” said Amran.
He stressed that government support is provided free of charge to farmers, from seedlings and land preparation to planting costs.
“Once again, everything is free. Free seedlings, free planting costs, free land preparation costs. Free for Indonesian farmers. That is from the President of the Republic of Indonesia,” said Amran.
Previously, Tulang Bawang Regent Qudrotul Ikhwan said he welcomed the development of coffee and cocoa in Lampung.
According to him, both commodities have strong economic prospects and large export markets.
“We see this nursery, the coffee and also the cocoa are very good. Our hope is that these perennial crops can also be planted because this is certainly for national export needs,” said Qudrotul.
According to him, the development of coffee and cocoa through the prospective farmers and prospective locations (CPCL) mechanism can be an opportunity for the region to develop new plantation centres.
With support of 2.6 million seedlings and a development programme of around 18,000 hectares of coffee and cocoa, the Ministry of Agriculture is encouraging the strengthening of Lampung’s plantations from the upstream side, while opening opportunities for increased production, employment, and plantation commodity markets.