Agung Hendriadi Terkesima di Demak, Padi Menguning Siap Panen Hingga Februari 2018
Indonesian Govt Encourages Farmers to Increase Rice Production
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
HAMPARAN padi menguning siap panen membuat terkesima Kepala Badan Ketahanan Pangan (BKP) Kementerian Pertanian, Agung Hendriadi ketika berada di Desa Ketanjung, Kecamatan Karanganyar, Kabupaten Demak, Jawa Tengah seolah tak percaya menghadapi fakta di depan mata, karena Desember dikenal sebagai masa paceklik akibat tingginya curah hujan di penghujung tahun.
"Kita bisa saksikan sendiri. Banyak hamparan sawah yang siap panen. Dan saat ini, dimana-mana sedang dilakukan panen. Jadi, jangan khawatir kita kekurangan beras," kata Agung saat panen musim tanam pertama (MT I) hari ini, Rabu (20/12) didampingi Wakil Gubernur Jawa Tengah, Heru Sudjatmoko dan para pejabat terkait di tingkat provinsi dan kabupaten.
Dia mengaku sudah keliling ke banyak provinsi dan kabupaten dalam satu bulan terakhir ini, dan mendapati hal serupa, hamparan padi menguning sejauh mata memandang, seperti halnya di Demak.
"Pekan lalu saya panen di Karawang. Di Maluku Utara juga panen, dimana-mana panen. Indonesia saat ini sedang panen sehingga tiada hari tanpa panen. Lupakan masa paceklik," kata Agung yang baru kembali dari Halmahera, Maluku Utara.
Keberhasilan panen tersebut berkat dukungan dan koordinasi pemerintah pusat dengan pemerintah daerah khususnya dinas-dinas terkait setelah setelah Kementan menggagas program upaya khusus padi, jagung, dan kedelai disingkat Upsus Pajale sejak awal 2015 dan terus digelar hingga saat ini.
"Inilah manfaat dari program Pajale dengan luas tambah tanam, dan saat ini kita menikmati hasilnya. Kalau biasanya setiap bulan November hingga Januari, petani dihantui paceklik lantaran tingginya curah hujan, ternyata meskipun hujan tetap deras tapi hasil panen setimpal dengan kerja keras petani," kata Agung.
Panen Sampai Februari
Wakil Gubernur Jateng Tengah, Heru Sudjatmiko memastikan tidak ada paceklik di provinsinya. "Saat ini kita sedang panen bahkan di Demak Barat akan dilakukan panen sampai Februari 2018. Jadi tidak ada paceklik. yang ada justru kami lakukan panen" tambah Heru.
Berdasarkan Angka Ramalan (Aram 2) produksi beras Jawa Tengah diperkirakan mencapai 6,1 juta ton, dengan kebutuhan 3,1 juta juta ton sehingga surplus produksi lebih 2,9 juta ton.
"Kabupaten Demak ini penyumbang terbesar ketiga setelah Cilacap dan Grobogan di tingkat provinsi. Kita tidak perlu impor beras karena mampu surplus, kedaulatan pangan akan semakin mantap," kata Wagub Heru.
Sementara harga pangan di Jawa Tengah menjelang Natal dan Tahun Baru 2018 relatif aman dan terkendali.
"Kita sudah lihat tadi bahwa ketersediaan pangan cukup, bahkan untuk beras sudah surplus. Harga pangan pun aman dan terkendali," kata Suryo Banendro, Kepala Dinas Ketahanan Pangan Jawa Tengan.
INDONESIAN senior official proved that no rice harvest failed in Demak Regency, Central Java after the Director General of the Food Security Agency, Agung Hendriadi during the rice harvest in Ketanjung village of Karanganyar subdistrict.
"We have seen plenty of rice fields ready for harvest, and nowadays harvest is happening everywhere, do not worry we will not be short of rice," said Mr Hendriadi during the harvests of first planting season on Wednesday (December 20) accompanied by Central Java Deputy Governor, Heru Sudjatmoko and relevant officials at provincial and district levels.
He claimed to have traveled to many provinces and districts in the past month, and found something similar, rice yellowing as far as the eyes look like at Demak.
"Last week I was rice harvesting in Karawang, also in North Maluku, rice harvest in many places, Indonesia today, no day without rice harvest, forget the famine," said Mr Hendriadi who just arrived from Halmahera of North Maluku province.
Indonesia´s rice harvest is the synergy between central and local government to increase rice production. For example, to anticipate the impact of crop failure, the government provides assistance to farmers such as water pumps, tractor engines, seedlings, tertiary irrigation rehabilitation, basin retention and others.
"This is the benefit of a special effort program with extensification, and now we enjoy the results. If usually every November to January, farmers are always worried because of the high rainfall, however, the rice harvest is worth the hard work of the farmers," Mr Hendriadi said.
Rice Harvest until February
Deputy Governor Heru Sudjatmiko ensure there is no famine in the province. "Currently we are harvesting even in West Demak will be harvested until February 2018. So there is no famine."
Based on prediction figures, Central Java´s rice production is estimated at 6.1 million tons, with 3.1 million million tons of demand, resulting in a surplus of 2.9 million tons.
"Demak district is the third largest rice contributor in the province after Cilacap and Grobogan.We do not need rice imports because it can surplus, food sovereignty will be more stable," Mr Sudjatmiko said.
While food prices in Central Java ahead of Christmas and New Year 2018 are relatively safe and under control.
"We have seen that the availability of adequate food, rice production surplus. Food prices are also safe and under control," said Suryo Banendro, Head of Food Security Agency of Central Java province.
