W Sumatra Corn Production Reached 594,329 Tons

Padang, (Antara Sumbar) - Corn production of West Sumatra Province from January to August 2017 recorded 594,329 tons with an area of 85,538 hectares.

"We estimate the production in 2017 will increase compared to last year due to the growing planting area," Head of Food Crops, Horticulture and Plantation of West Sumatra, Candra stated in Padang, Wednesday (Sept 27).

The area that is the production center of the crops is West Pasaman with 227,444 tons of production, South Pesisir 73,328 tons and Agam District 72,655 tons.

Described, corn production cultivated by the people of West Sumatra is still limited to local needs, especially for animal feed with the level of needs that reach 560 thousand tons per year.

"With the amount of production, it is temporarily enough for local needs," he said.

Then he mentioned the obstacles related to the mastery of corn in West Sumatra by the collecting traders, so that farmers can sell immediately after harvesting because it has been bound by contract.

"It means that if the supply of corn to feed processing industry is disrupted, then the feed price becomes high, that is often becoming the problem," he said.

To overcome it, it invites farmers to create a contract system. "We will make contracts where 25 percent of production will be controlled and bought based on planted area," he said.

In addition, he also sought to revive unproductive land for planting corn. If the land is not worth to plant rice then it will lead the farmers to plant corn.

"In Sijunjung district, a lot of land is abandoned before the rain to plant rice, when that is the time we directly ask the farmers to plant corn," he said.

While for production in 2016, he mentioned the realization of production reached 711,532 tons with 101.615 hectares of harvest area.

To facilitate the production process, it provides assistance in the form of water storage tanks, tools, agricultural machinery, irrigation repair and so on. (cha)

Editor: Vicha Faradika