Seven Investors to Develop Food Estate in North Sumatra

The food estate or food barn program in Pollung District, Humbang Hasundutan, North Sumatra will be developed by seven investors: PT Calbee Wings, PT CHAMP, PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk, PT Karya Tani Semesta, PT Semangat Tani, PT Agra Garlica, and PT Agri Indo Sejahtera.

The Agriculture Minister, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, revealed the North Sumatra food estate would grow potatoes, garlic, and shallots. In his presentation at the Fifth Jakarta Food Security Summit (JFSS) held by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) and Katadata on Wednesday (11/18), Syahrul said that of the 1,000 hectares of land prepared by the ministry, the private sector would handle 785 hectares, while the government will develop the rest. The first harvest is expectedly capable of producing 12,225 tons of potatoes, 1,070 tons of shallots, and 511 tons of garlic with a total value of Rp 134.76 billion.

Developing food estates is part of the ministry’s five steps to boost food production amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It starts with the expansion of the new planting area (PATB), covering an area of ​​250 thousand hectares for several commodities such as rice, corns, and onions, followed by the 164,598 hectares of swamp development in Central Kalimantan is. Second, the diversification of local cuisines focusing on one commodity, by developing 35 thousand hectares of cassava (cassava), 1,000 hectares of sago, 1,300 hectares of bananas, 650 hectares of potatoes, and 5,000 hectares of sorghum.

The third one will focus on strengthening food stocks and rice reserves, while the fourth is to develop agriculture with smart farming, greenhouses, food estates, and farmer corporations. Especially for the food estate in Humbang Hasundutan, North Sumatra, the land that has been prepared reaches 30 thousand hectares. The fifth one will focus on multiplying exports by threefold through international cooperation, new commodities, new exporters, and foreign trade partners.