The Head of Agribusiness Facility and Infrastructure, Sector Supriadi, at the Agriculture and Farming Department of Bangkalan in East Java announced earlier this week that “the quota of all subsidized fertilizer has been added” recording an increase of subsidized fertilizer quota for this year compared to 2015. The NPK type fertilizer is the subsidized fertilizer with the most quota addition; from 2,297 tons in 2015 to 3,274 tons in 2016, which is up to more than 1,000 tons. Artificial urea, SP36 and also ZA type fertilizer have been also increased, by 102 tons from 20,720 to 20,822 tons, by 12 tons to 3,146 from 3,134 tons and up from 1,525 to 1,256 tons respectively. Subsidies for organic fertilizer have been increased as well.
The increase in subsidies and additional quotas has been implemented by the government to motivate farmers to use more of the artificial fertilizer made by PT Petrokimia Gresik, a state-owned company and the most complete fertilizer producer in Indonesia, which produces various kinds of fertilizers. The NPK fertilizer is thought to be the most complex one having the most complete content. “NPK has urea, organic and calcium,” Mr Supriade explained.
According to Head of Agriculture and Farming Department of Bangkalan, Abdul Razak, in the Bangkalan region, the number of subsidized fertilizer is short of 8,000 tons to reach the required fertilizer of 28,000 ton annually despite the fact the quota has been added. However, Mr Razak reassured farmers that the shortage of the fertilizer would be covered by non-subsidized fertilizer issued by the Provincial Government of East Java and there was no need to be concerned. “Those non-subsidized fertilizers are free,” he said.
