Mentan `Blusukan` ke Sumatera Selatan, Pantau Potensi Sawah Lebak
Indonesian Agriculture Minister Impromptu Visit to South Sumatera
Reporter : Gusmiati Waris
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
Palembang (B2B) - Menteri Pertanian RI Andi Amran Sulaiman melihat langsung potensi sawah lebak di Kabupaten Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) dan Kabupaten Banyuasin, Sumatera Selatan, yang dinilainya potensial meningkatkan hasil produksi pangan terutama padi.
"Potensi sawah lebak di sini sangat luar biasa jika didukung dengan infrastruktur yang baik, terutama optimalisasi saluran irigasi primer, sekunder dan tersiernya serta kesungguhan para petani dalam menggarap sawah," kata Amran Sulaiman dalam kunjungannya ke Sumatera Selatan belum lama ini.
Seperti diketahui, selama ini kondisi lahan lebak di kedua kabupaten tersebut hanya bisa ditanam satu kali dalam setahun sehingga diperlukan percepatan penataan lahan dan tata guna air, agar dapat ditanam dua kali. Di kabupaten OKI, proses percepatan penataan lahan dan tata guna air tersebut sudah dikerjakan pada lahan seluas 6.400 ha dari 77.339 ha.
Dalam kesempatan itu, Mentan menyerahkan bantuan alat mesin pertanian secara simbolis kepada kelompok tani di Desa Terusan Laut, Kecamatan Sirah Pulau Padang, Kabupaten OKI.
"Saya harapkan para petani bekerja keras dan bersungguh-sungguh, sehingga saya bisa kembali tahun depan untuk melihat keberhasilan petani di sini," kata Amran Sulaiman.
Palembang (B2B) - Indonesian Agriculture Minister, Andi Amran review the potential of lowland rice fields in South Sumatera province´s Ogan Komering Ilir district and Banyuasin district, because the potential to increase food productionespecially rice.
"The potential for lowland rice fields remarkable if supported by good infrastructure with the optimization of irrigation facilities as well as the seriousness of the farmers to increase rice production," said Amran Sulaiman in his visit to South Sumatra province.
As is known, the paddy fields in the two districts could be planted once a year, thus requiring land arrangement, and irrigation. In Ogan Ogan Ilir district, land arrangement and irrigation acceleration has been done on 6,400 hectares of the total 77 339 hectares.
At the occasion, Amran Sulaiman handed symbolically agricultural machinery to farmers´ groups to farmers of Terusan Laut village in Sirah Pulau Padang subdistrict of Ogan Komering Ilir district.
"I hope the farmers to work hard and earnestly, so I can come back next year to see the success of farmers are here," Sulaiman said.
