Wamentrans prepared to champion subsidised fertiliser for rubber farmers

Kutai Kartanegara, Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Transmigration (Wamentrans) Viva Yoga Mauladi said he is ready to fight for subsidised fertiliser for rubber farmers. ‘About 90 percent of rubber farmers are smallholders. Their land is land owned by the people 90 percent, so if fiscally and monetarily the government can manage it, we will fight so that smallholder farmers also receive subsidised fertiliser,’ said Viva Yoga in Sebuntal Village, Marangkayu District, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan. According to him, rubber is not yet among the commodities that receive subsidised fertiliser due to limited government funds. Commodities that receive subsidised fertiliser are rice, corn, cassava. ‘But the effort to fight so that the rubber commodity can also receive subsidised fertiliser later is the right step,’ he said. He said that if the government provides this, Indonesia will be able to overtake Thailand in global rubber exports because Indonesian rubber productivity will be higher. ‘We are working so that the productivity of Indonesian rubber farmers will increase if there is replanting or rejuvenation, then there is fertiliser assistance, then eliminating pests and diseases, and next we strive so that tapping techniques can be better so that more latex can be produced,’ he said. Rubber farmers contribute greatly to the production of life-supporting equipment and require rubber commodities such as tyres. Rubber farmers provide benefits to the life of Indonesian society and the world. ‘We will strive to fight for rubber farmers so that the National Movement (Gernas) Karet can be maximised again and there is an allocation to help smallholder rubber farmers to increase production, to provide income security, and to provide training through good technology for tapping so that more latex can be produced,’ said Viva Yoga.