Konawe. State-owned fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) has ensured the availability of 10,315 tons of subsidized fertilizer in Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra) ahead of the 2025 planting season, following Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman’s inspection in Konawe on Friday.

The minister stated that farmers could start accessing the subsidized fertilizer to support early planting in 2025. He added that the fertilizer has been distributed across various regions in Indonesia to accelerate the country’s food self-sufficiency agenda, as mandated by President Prabowo Subianto.

“We checked the stocks, and they are double the previous amounts. Alhamdulillah, no complaints have been reported from farmers nationwide—from Merauke to Aceh, as well as Java and other regions,” the minister said.

Pupuk Indonesia’s Business Transformation Director, Panji W. Ruky, reported that the company had stocked 10,315 tons of subsidized fertilizer in Sultra as of December 25, 2024. This exceeds the minimum government requirement by 136.4%. The stock includes 5,906 tons of Urea, 3,185 tons of NPK Phonska, and 1,224 tons of NPK Cocoa Special Formula, sufficient for the next three weeks.

“Following government regulations, the subsidized fertilizer will be available for farmers starting early 2025. This was made possible after simplifying the distribution regulations,” Panji said, adding that farmers only need to bring their ID cards to purchase the fertilizer.

To ensure efficient distribution, Pupuk Indonesia has deployed supporting facilities, including nine buffer warehouses, nine distributors, 197 kiosks/retailers, and nine field officers in Sultra.

By December 25, 2024, the company had distributed 68,255 tons of subsidized fertilizer in Sultra, comprising 24,285 tons of Urea, 37,135 tons of NPK Phonska, and 6,834 tons of NPK Cocoa Special Formula. This marks a significant increase compared to the 51,410 tons distributed in the previous year.

Farmers eligible for subsidized fertilizer must meet criteria outlined in Agriculture Ministerial Regulation No. 1/2024, including membership in farmer groups, registration in the Agricultural Extension Management Information System (SIMLUHTAN), and managing a maximum of two hectares of land. The subsidies cover nine strategic crops: rice, corn, soybeans, chilies, shallots, garlic, coffee, sugarcane, and cocoa.

Farmers not yet registered can enroll through their farmer groups (Gapoktan) to access the benefits, Panji added.