Subsidized fertilizers disappear
Written by Meenaa on Monday, November 17th, 2008
Subsidized fertilizers disappear
As farmers enter the planting season, they are complaining about the disappearance of fertilizers, with an increasing call for law enforcers to take action against distributors who may be hoarding subsidized commodities.
Thousands of farmers went on the streets and staged protests at the Kediri regency administration compound on Friday and Saturday, demanding that local government take action against fertilizer distributors and retailers who closed their shops over the last two weeks.
Mashuri, a farmer from Wates village who joined the protest, said the farmers were disappointed when finding all fertilizer stores closed in the regency while they were in dire need of fertilizers for their newly-planted farmland.
Entering the rainy season, most farmers were planting paddy seedlings at the same time since their local farmlands are not well-irrigated.
But the regency administration denied the allegation on hoarding and said the provincial government and fertilizer companies have cut supplies to the regency due to the increasing demand on the domestic market.
“The regent has twice delivered official letters to the provincial government to look at the total fertilizer supply to the regency but so far no response has been given,” head of the local marketing office Andreas Irwanto said, adding the supply has been cut to 60,000 tons for this planting season from 80,000 tons the previous season.
The regency had proposed the supply of 182,755 tons of subsidized fertilizers this year but the provincial government has approved only 107,932 tons.
He acknowledged that the farmers’ protest had something to do with the distribution system which many farmers have called discriminatory since the subsidized fertilizers have been distributed only to farmers in farmer groups.
“Those who are not included in farmers groups, have to buy fertilizers according to the market prices and buyers are limited to obtain only 25 kilograms per person with the price of Rp 2,500 per kilogram. The subsidized fertilizers cost Rp 52,500 for 25 kg and non-subsidized fertilizer costs Rp 96,000,” he added.
There was also a shortage of subsidized fertilizers, including Urea, NPK and ZA in Blitar, Pacitan and Tulungagung.
Supranoto, chairman of a farmers association in Blitar, accused distributors and retailers of hoarding, saying many kinds of non-subsidized fertilizers were readily available but at high prices.
He said that fertilizers of all kinds have soared from Rp 2,500 per kg to Rp 3,600. Farmers then have to spend more than Rp 100,000 for 25 kilograms because they have no other alternatives to save their paddy plants.”
In Magetan, the police foiled an attempt to smuggle 4.5 tons of subsidized fertilizers and detained a village head in Siman district, Ponorogo, in the case.
According to the local police, Siman was detained on his way to take the fertilizers to Central Java.
“A truck, the fertilizers and the owner have been detained and this case will be brought to court,” chief of the police station in Kewedanaan, Magetan, Adj. Comr. Agung said here on Saturday.
In Malang, the regency legislative council asked the government to closely supervise the distribution of subsidized fertilizers to farmers following the disappearance of certain kinds of fertilizers from the local market.
Cuncillor Eko Budi Prasetyo said that many store houses have been running short of stocks due to the increasing demand for fertilizers in entering the rainy season.
Councillor Syamsul Hadi said the shortage of fertilizers encouraged distributors and retailers to speculate and increase prices.
He called on the provincial government and the Petrokimia fertilizer company in Gresik to restructure the distribution of fertilizers to avoid hoarding and speculation that could affect rice production in the province. (wit)
The Jakarta Post , Kediri | Mon, 11/17/2008 10:50 AM | East Java
