Merauke, July 26, 2014 - PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) held the "Pupuk Indonesia (PI) Menyapa" program at the Telaga Village Hall, Kurik District, Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, on Thursday (July 25, 2024). This program represents the company's support for agriculture in Merauke as a national food barn.

Pupuk Indonesia President Director Rahmad Pribadi stated that PI Menyapa in Merauke is a forum for communication and coordination with stakeholders on the ground. This event aims to accelerate the distribution of subsidized fertilizers in Indonesia's easternmost region. Additionally, it is part of Pupuk Indonesia's efforts to increase agricultural productivity and ensure both national and regional food security.

"Pupuk Indonesia reaches out to everyone who has worked hard to advance Indonesian agriculture, including field agricultural extension officers (PPL), verification and validation teams, official kiosks, distributors, the government, farmer groups, the KTNA (National Farmers and Fishermen Contact), and other agricultural stakeholders. We acknowledge and appreciate their efforts while conducting a collective redemption activity," said Rahmad Pribadi.

Pupuk Indonesia's efforts to accelerate the redemption of subsidized fertilizers are carried out through a collective redemption program. This facility simplifies the process for farmers, who no longer need to visit kiosks. They can redeem subsidized fertilizers at a central location, such as the Telaga Sari Village Hall, using a farmer card or their National Identity Card (KTP).

During his visit to Merauke, Rahmad Pribadi also ensured the readiness of subsidized fertilizers by visiting several kiosks, warehouses, and farmers. He emphasized the importance of this region for national food security.

As of July 20, 2024, Pupuk Indonesia had prepared a stock of 5,890 tons of subsidized fertilizers for all of Papua, with 3,530 tons stored at the Line III Warehouse in Merauke. This includes 1,955 tons of Urea fertilizer and 1,575 tons of NPK Phonska fertilizer for Merauke farmers. All stocks exceed the minimum requirements set by the Government.

"I have visited the warehouse in Tanah Miring. This warehouse is the easternmost facility owned by Pupuk Indonesia. I have no concerns in Merauke. I believe that the Head of the Food Crops, Horticulture, and Plantation Office of Merauke Regency (Yosefa Loise Rumaseu) agrees that Merauke can be a regional and national food barn," Rahmad added.

He further mentioned that to boost agricultural productivity and maintain national food security, the Government increased the allocation of subsidized fertilizers from 4.7 million tons to 9.55 million tons nationwide in 2024. This increase also benefits farmers in Merauke.

The current allocation of subsidized Urea fertilizer in Merauke reaches 8,730 tons, 72.4% higher than the initial 2024 allocation of 5,065 tons. Additionally, the new NPK allocation is 14,322 tons, a 125.3% increase from the initial 6,360 tons.

To ensure the smooth distribution of subsidized fertilizers in Merauke, Pupuk Indonesia has also prepared supporting facilities. These include three Line III warehouses with a total capacity of 6,000 tons, two distributors, 55 kiosks, and three field officers to ensure the distribution process runs smoothly at both distributor and kiosk levels.

Rahmad Pribadi concluded by highlighting that field inspections revealed that Merauke has fertile agricultural land with significant development potential. Currently, the average rice productivity in Merauke ranges from 3 to 4 tons per hectare.

The agricultural land in Merauke is also extensive. For instance, Telaga Sari Village has approximately 1,058 hectares of paddy fields. Therefore, Pupuk Indonesia encourages the acceleration of subsidized fertilizer redemption to boost productivity in Merauke.

"The agriculture here was recently visited by President Joko Widodo. Merauke is unique; while rice prices rise elsewhere, they remain lower here. This is crucial for national food security," he concluded.