TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has prepared Rp5.5 trillion from the State Budget (APBN) to buy spice seeds. Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said the government is now focusing on restoring Indonesia's spice glory.
"Mr. President allocated a budget to buy seeds, and we will plants millions of trees," Amran said in Makassar, Monday, July 31.
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He said that restoring the spice glory could improve the economy of people living in rural areas.
According to the Central Statistics Agency, the minister said, poverty rate in rural areas has declined by 20 percent. "But we should not be satisfied, we must improve it further through spices," he said.
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He said that the government will provide stimulus to farmers by providing free seeds and fertilizers. "The seeds must be of the highest quality," he added.
For Sulawesi alone, Amran said he has prepared around Rp300 billion to purchase seeds.
DIDIT HARIYADI