Misuse of Refined Sugar and Weak Protection for Sugarcane Farmers Come Under Spotlight
Member of House of Representatives Commission VI from the PDI Perjuangan faction, Budi Sulisyono, has spotlighted several crucial problems in the governance of the national sugar industry, ranging from deviations in the distribution of refined sugar to weak protection for sugarcane farmers.
Budi revealed that practices of misusing refined sugar, which should be allocated for industry and pharmaceuticals, are still being found circulating in the market as consumer sugar. “This is homework, especially for the Ministry of Trade, to tighten supervision from the start,” he said on Wednesday (8/4).
In addition, he assessed that intensification efforts in the sugarcane plantation sector have not been optimal, unlike other commodities such as rice which have received more serious attention from the government.
“We have not yet seen significant intensification in the sugarcane sector, even though this is very important to increase production,” he said.
Budi also highlighted the condition of sugarcane farmers who still face uncertainty, both in terms of price and the absorption of their harvest. He revealed that some time ago, farmers even complained about sugar factories that were unable to absorb their sugarcane, thus requiring a bridging scheme.
“Farmers need price and market certainty. If this is not there, how can they be interested in planting sugarcane?” he emphasised.
Furthermore, he assessed that the sugar industry issues are also triggered by weak coordination between ministries, which impacts sugar import policies deemed excessive. This situation has the potential to pressure the competitiveness of the domestic sugar industry.
“As long as there is no policy synchronisation, modernisation, and certainty for farmers, then the restructuring or merger of the sugar industry will not have a significant impact on increasing production,” he explained.
Budi emphasised that overhauling the sugar industry must be done comprehensively, not only from the corporate side, but also by strengthening the position of farmers as the main actors in the supply chain. “We must rethink how to maintain the sustainability of national sugar production that favours farmers,” he concluded.