MAKASSAR - PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) is preparing subsidized fertilizer stocks for the Sulawesi to Papua Provinces of 102,569 tons as of February 7 2023, or the equivalent of 177 percent of the minimum stock provisions set by the Government.

SVP of Sales for Eastern Region of Pupuk Indonesia, Muhammad Yusri said that the total subsidized fertilizer stock consisted of 58,221 tons of urea fertilizer and 34,898 tons of NPK fertilizer, then NPK Special Formula Cocoa of 2,500 tons.

"The stock of urea fertilizer which reached 58,221 tons is equivalent to 167 percent of the minimum stock requirements set by the government, while the NPK fertilizer stock of 41,749 tons is equivalent to 182 percent of the provisions, NPK Special Formula Cocoa of 2,500 tons is equivalent to 271 percent. Thus, the stocks of Urea, Phonska NPK, and Cocoa Special Formula NPK are sufficient to meet farmers' needs for the next 3 weeks," said Yusri after visiting the Distribution Center in South Sulawesi, Wednesday (8/2/2023).

If looked at in more detail, the subsidized fertilizer stocks amounted to 102,469 tons spread across North Sulawesi amounted to 12,343, Gorontalo amounted to 12,068 tons, Central Sulawesi amounted to 11,228 tons, Southeast Sulawesi amounted to 7,024 tons, Maluku amounted to 2,015 tons, North Maluku amounted to 1,242 tons, Papua 5,735 tons, West Papua 1,087 tons, West Sulawesi 4,709 tons and South Sulawesi 43,165 tons.

Furthermore, details of the stock in South Sulawesi for subsidized urea fertilizer amounted to 26,814 tons, NPK Phonska amounted to 16,130 tons and NPK Special Formula Cocoa amounted to 961 tons.

Meanwhile, in terms of distribution or distribution of subsidized fertilizers in the Sales Region 6 area, Yusri said that Pupuk Indonesia had distributed 21,648 tons as of February 7 2023, this figure consisted of 12,674 tons of urea fertilizer and 8,974 tons of NPK. Meanwhile, South Sulawesi Province has distributed 70,232 tons of subsidized fertilizers as of February 7, 2023, consisting of 42,810 tons of Urea and 25,496 tons of Phonska NPK and 1,927 tons of Special Cocoa NPK. This amount has reached 10% of the total allocation of subsidized fertilizer in South Sulawesi of 743,691 tons consisting of allocation of Urea fertilizer of 420,521 tons, NPK Phonska 243,309 tons and NPK Special Cocoa of 79,861 tons.

Yusri ensures that all of the subsidized fertilizer distributed by Pupuk Indonesia for farmers has met the requirements in Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 10 of 2022. Based on the regulation, farmers who are entitled to receive it must join a farmer group, be registered with SIMLUHTAN (Agricultural Extension Management Information System), work on a maximum of two hectares of land, and using a Farmer's Card (for certain areas). He further explained that farmers can redeem subsidized fertilizers at official kiosks that have been determined to serve local farmer groups.

"It should also be noted, Minister of Agriculture Number 10 of 2022 also stipulates only nine commodities that receive subsidized fertilizer, namely rice, corn, soybeans, chilies, shallots, garlic, sugar cane, cocoa, and coffee. These nine commodities are strategic agriculture which have an impact on inflation so that other commodities no longer receive allocations," he said.