Trenggalek develops garlic cultivation to support food self-sufficiency

The Trenggalek Regency Government, together with the Trenggalek Police, is developing garlic cultivation in highland areas as part of efforts to support national self-sufficiency and reduce Indonesia’s dependence on imports of the commodity.

Trenggalek Regent Mochamad Nur Arifin and Trenggalek Police Chief AKBP Rizky Tri Putra Erryka Adi Wijaya carried out garlic planting in Karanganyar Village, Pule District, Trenggalek, East Java, on Wednesday.

Regent Nur Arifin said the planting was an initiative of National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, implemented simultaneously in 17 provinces, including Trenggalek.

“This is an initiative from the National Police Chief, and at the regional level it is carried out by the Police Chief. We all know that our dependence on imports, particularly garlic, is still very high,” Arifin said.

According to him, Trenggalek has the potential to develop garlic because several areas are located at altitudes of around 700 to 1,000 metres above sea level.

However, garlic cultivation remains a challenge because the commodity has not been widely cultivated by farmers in Trenggalek.

“We therefore welcome this, although it certainly presents its own challenges. Our community, particularly in Trenggalek, is not yet accustomed to planting garlic. But with areas at altitudes of around 700 to 1,000 metres above sea level, we have potential,” he said.

In the initial stage, the government prepared 150 kilograms of Lumbu Hijau variety garlic seeds for planting on 0.2 hectares of land in Karanganyar Village. Eight farmers from several farmer groups were involved in the planting.

Arifin said the planting results would be evaluated in about three months. If successfully harvested, garlic cultivation development would be expanded.

“And it must be harvested, so that food self-sufficiency to reduce imports, particularly in garlic, can truly be achieved,” he said.

He expressed hope that increased domestic garlic production could reduce dependence on imported supplies while helping to maintain price stability and control inflation of the commodity.

Trenggalek Police Chief AKBP Rizky Tri Putra Erryka Adi Wijaya said the garlic planting was part of a programme implemented simultaneously in 17 provinces.

In East Java, the programme was implemented in four regencies: Malang, Pasuruan, Magetan, and Trenggalek.

“Alhamdulillah, today we are carrying out garlic planting in 17 provinces. The centre is in Sembalun Village, East Lombok. In East Java, four regencies were appointed: Malang Regency, Pasuruan Regency, Magetan Regency, and Trenggalek Regency,” he said.

In Trenggalek, the initial planting was carried out on 0.20 hectares of land. If the harvest results in the next three months show good outcomes, development is targeted to reach 1.5 hectares.

“The altitude is appropriate and the seeds are available. We will observe the results over the next three months. Our hope is the same as what the Regent conveyed, that we can achieve garlic self-sufficiency because this is one of the commodities dependent on imports,” he said.

Head of the Trenggalek Agriculture and Food Agency Imam Rohadi said the highland areas in the region have potential for garlic development, particularly Pule and Bendungan Districts.

“So in the Pule area and onwards to Puyung. Then Bendungan District in the Boto Putih area also has extraordinary potential for garlic planting,” he said.