Jombang, East Java. Farmers in Jombang have welcomed the government’s decision to lower the ceiling price of subsidized fertilizers by 20 percent, following a directive from President Prabowo Subianto, Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan said on Saturday.

Zulkifli inspected the implementation of the new fertilizer pricing policy, which took effect on October 22, and said the move reflects the government’s strong support for improving farmers’ welfare.

“I bring good news: thanks to the hard work of Pupuk Indonesia’s President Director, the government, and the House of Representatives, farmers can now buy fertilizer at much lower prices. Usually prices go up -- this time, they go down significantly, so farmers can prosper,” Zulkifli said during his visit to Jombang.

Under the new pricing policy, the maximum retail price (HET) of Urea fertilizer drops from Rp 2,250 per kilogram to Rp 1,800, or from Rp 112,500 to Rp 90,000 per 50-kg sack. The NPK fertilizer price falls from Rp 2,300/kg to Rp 1,840, or from Rp 115,000 to Rp 92,000 per sack. Meanwhile, NPK fertilizer for cocoa plants is reduced from Rp 3,300/kg to Rp 2,640, or Rp 165,000 to Rp 132,000 per sack.

For ZA fertilizer dedicated to sugarcane -- newly added to the subsidy scheme -- the HET decreases from Rp 1,700/kg to Rp 1,360, or Rp 85,000 to Rp 68,000 per 50-kg sack. The organic fertilizer price also falls from Rp 800/kg to Rp 640, or from Rp 32,000 to Rp 25,600 per 40-kg sack.

Zulkifli said the price cuts underscore the government’s commitment to farmers and are part of a broader strategy to achieve national food self-sufficiency.

“The price of unhusked rice has risen to Rp 6,500 per kilogram, which means farmers’ income is increasing. Production is also improving because fertilizer is available and irrigation is working well. Thank you to President Prabowo for ordering the fertilizer price reduction,” he said.

During his visit, Zulkifli also inspected a fertilizer warehouse in Jatipelem to ensure that subsidized stock levels are sufficient for the planting season.

He added that the government has increased the annual allocation of subsidized fertilizer from 4 million tons to 9.55 million tons for 2025, assuring farmers that supplies will be adequate as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.

“We have plenty of stock -- around 9.55 million tons nationwide. Farmers have so far used 6.3 million tons, leaving more than 3 million still available. East Java alone has an allocation of 2 million tons, with 1.5 million already distributed. If there’s any shortage, please report it,” he said.

Pupuk Indonesia President Director Rahmad Pribadi commended Zulkifli’s visit to Jombang to directly check fertilizer stock and monitor the price reduction’s rollout at retail outlets.

Rahmad said Pupuk Indonesia has secured 10,430 tons of fertilizer in Jombang as of October 24, 2025, comprising 2,580 tons of Urea, 7,316 tons of NPK, 113 tons of ZA, and 421 tons of organic fertilizer.

“The new subsidized fertilizer prices have been fully implemented across all Pupuk Indonesia retail outlets, from Sabang to Merauke,” Rahmad said.