President Jokowi Plants Rice in East Java Province

President Jokowi and Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo plant rice in Tuban regency, East Java province, Thursday (04/06). Photo by BPMI of Presidential Secretariat.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and the First Lady Ibu Iriana Jokowi on Thursday (04/06) planted rice in the Food Sovereign Area of the Indonesian Farmers Union in Senori village, Merakurak district, Tuban regency, East Java province.

On that occasion, the President applauded the farmers for using organic fertilizers to cultivate 1,000 hectares of land in the area.

“Today we start the planting activities. After the harvest period, we do not postpone the rice planting because we have sufficient water supply. I am glad that the farmers here are using organic fertilizers. The Indonesian Farmers Union has been using it for three years,” he said.

The President added that the use of organic fertilizers can reduce production costs for farmers as well as reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers.

“I think it can be carried out in other areas as it has been carried out by the Indonesian Farmers Union here. It will reduce the costs incurred by farmers and prevent the dependency on chemical fertilizers, chemical fertilizer industry, and imports of raw materials from chemical fertilizers,” he said.

The President went on to say that the use of organic fertilizers is very good for improving the land ecosystem.

President Jokowi also ordered Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo to foster the use of organic fertilizers in other areas and provide the supply of cows for producing organic fertilizers.

“[The organic fertilizer] has been used in this region. For other regions, Ministry of Agriculture has the duties to provide the supply for organic fertilizer production,” the President remarked. (TGH/UN) (RI/MMB)