TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Economy Minister Darmin Nasution admitted that the problem of data on harvested area and rice production has various differences. Therefore, Darmin said, the government asked the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in cooperation with the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) to make data collection and estimation on the area of planting and harvesting and rice productivity.

According to Darmin, the government is currently completing a one-map policy which will be officially launched on August 18, 2018. "The government hopes that there will be data related to the irrigation area in Indonesia," Darmin said at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Jakarta, on Monday, January 15.

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Not only that, the government will also conduct sample verification by independent parties.
Previously the Ombudsman requested the Ministry of Agriculture to provide valid data on the production and rice supply. Ombudsman Member Akhmad Alamsyah said an adequate surplus reflects not only the current production amount but also the credible amount of stock. "So do not bombard us with a surplus statement," he said.

Findings from the Ombudsman merchant's complaint map are inversely proportional to the Ministry of Agriculture's data. Director General of Food Crops of the Ministry of Agriculture, Sumarjo Gatot Irianto, ensured that rice supply has always been kept at a safe limit.

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He said Indonesia's extensive planting is always above 1 million hectares from June to the present. "The width is very enough," he said when contacted by Tempo on Friday last week.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman even stated that rice production is surplus.

"Surplus at December 31 (2017)," he said. He estimates that rice production in January will also have a surplus of 329.3 thousand tons.

KARTIKA ANGGRAENI