TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Agriculture Ministry official Sukarman commented on the viral video showing farmers gave away their farming products for road users in Malang, East Java.

He said that it was possible to happen if the farmers are oversupply and that they usually sell their products at seasonal markets which are now suspended due to the pandemic.

“But that because several regions imposing PSBB (social restriction), so markets are closed temporarily,” Sukarman told Tempo, May 16.

Sukarman claimed his side had investigated the incident, saying that the farmers promised to not repeat such the activity.

Moreover, the stakeholders in the areas have discussed the matter and provided a solution to the farmers to supply their vegetable stocks to Suncity Biz trading center in Sidoardjo, East Java, and even the distribution cost from Malang to Sidoarjo would be subsidized by the management.

"So, everything is clear,” he said.

The video that went viral showed that the farmers gave away their productions to the road users for free and created traffic congestion.

The video was shared by a Twitter account @cholikk on Friday, May 16, 2020.

EKO WAHYUDI