Surabaya Council Praises City's Efforts to Improve Access to Medokan Ayu Fish Farms
Deputy Speaker of the Surabaya City Regional House of Representatives, Arif Fathoni, has assessed that Mayor Eri Cahyadi’s efforts to improve distribution access to the Medokan Ayu fish farm area are in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programmes. He noted that the government is currently intensifying efforts to safeguard national food security.
Fathoni stated that the milkfish and prawn farm potential in Rungkut District is one of Surabaya’s assets for strengthening national food security. However, for the benefits to be greater for the community, infrastructure support is needed to facilitate the distribution of the farmers’ harvests.
He said the abundant harvests are proof that Surabaya has significant potential in the aquaculture sector. This potential is seen as being in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programmes, which place food security as a national development agenda. Fathoni made these remarks after attending a mass milkfish and prawn harvest with farmers in the Medokan Ayu farm area today.
“The milkfish and prawn harvest in Medokan Ayu shows that Surabaya has great potential to support the food security programme that is a priority for President Prabowo. This potential must continue to be developed so that it provides greater benefits for the community,” Fathoni said in a written statement on Wednesday.
Fathoni also expressed hope that the central government would pay attention to the development of the Medokan Ayu farm area. He proposed that the Minister of Agriculture visit Surabaya to see the potential firsthand while encouraging increased productivity among the farmers.
“I hope the Minister of Agriculture can come to Surabaya to see the potential of the Medokan Ayu farms directly. With central government support, this area can be developed into an aquaculture centre capable of supporting the national food security programme,” he stated.
In addition to central government support, Fathoni believes the Surabaya City Government has an important role in ensuring that the farmers’ harvests can be distributed optimally. According to him, the construction of access routes to the farm area will facilitate mobility, reduce logistics costs, and increase the competitiveness of aquaculture products.
“I see that the Mayor of Surabaya has shown commitment to supporting the President’s priority programmes, including in the food security sector. This commitment will be even stronger if accompanied by improvements to distribution access to the Medokan Ayu farm area, so that the farmers’ harvests are easier to market and their welfare increases,” Fathoni said.
He added that the construction of distribution access would not only benefit the farmers but also strengthen Surabaya’s food supply chain. According to him, with smoother distribution, harvests can reach the market more quickly, maintaining supply availability and providing better economic value for the community.
“Synergy between the central and regional governments is the key to the success of the food security programme. I am optimistic that if the potential of the Medokan Ayu farms is supported by adequate infrastructure, Surabaya will make an even greater contribution to the President’s programme while improving the welfare of the farmers,” he concluded.