Indonesia to Distribute Free Seeds for 870,000 Hectares of Plantations

Indonesia's Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, has announced a plan to provide free high-yield seeds for the development of 870,000 hectares of plantations across the nation. This initiative is a key priority of President Prabowo Subianto, aimed at enhancing both the productivity and welfare of Indonesian farmers.

The program will concentrate on six priority plantation commodities: coconut, sugarcane, cocoa, coffee, cashew, nutmeg, and pepper. Minister Sulaiman confirmed the ministry's commitment to accelerating the strengthening of the national plantation sector during a visit to a coconut nursery in Batang Regency, Central Java. He emphasized that the seeds for these six commodities, targeting a total of 870,000 hectares nationwide, will be distributed free of charge.

The distribution strategy will not be uniform; instead, it will factor in crucial elements such as agroclimatic suitability, local farming traditions, and regional development potential. This tailored approach aims to ensure that each commodity thrives optimally and provides sustainable economic advantages for farmers. Priority will be given to regions where communities already have a strong tradition of cultivating specific crops, ensuring better integration and success.

During his visit, the minister inspected a 15-hectare coconut nursery in Batang. This facility includes a three-hectare seedling area and a six-hectare mother garden cultivating superior varieties like Genjah Entog Kebumen, Genjah Pandan Wangi, and Dalam Bido coconuts. The nursery currently prepares over 25,000 coconut seedlings of various types, including Bali, Bojong Bulat, and Kopyor varieties, for distribution.