REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PATI -- Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman gave assurance that the diversion of fuel oil subsidy to other productive sectors, including agriculture, would be implemented smoothly.

"The subsidy will also be diverted to the agriculture sector for irrigation that requires some Rp15 trillion to cultivate one million hectares of rice fields per year," Amran stated while addressing hundreds of farmers at Bandungsari village in Lamongan district, East Java, on Tuesday (19/11).

He remarked that the fuel oil subsidy would be diverted to improve the irrigation systems across numerous places such as in the districts of Lamongan and Tuban.

The agriculture minister explained that in order to develop the agriculture sector, the fuel subsidy would be diverted to ensure better irrigation facilities, procurement of seeds, fertilizers, mechanization, and a guaranteed market.

Amran was of the viewpoint that these efforts were the key factors to boosting agricultural productivity in their bid to achieve food self-sufficiency.

"If the irrigation facilities are improved, it will also improve the cropping index, increase productivity, and will automatically increase the national production," he noted.

Amran revealed that the East Java agricultural service reportedly has adequate quantity of seeds, but other areas are still facing shortages. Fertilizer subsidy was also deemed necessary to boost the agriculture sector.

The minister claimed to have coordinated with relevant state-owned fertilizer companies in connection with the fertilizer subsidy.

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