T

he Lampung administration has set a target to replace all chemical fertilizers with organic ones in the next three to five years to improve production quality and end farmers’ dependency on subsidized fertilizers.

Administration deputy on economy and development, Hanan Razak, said farmers were encouraged to use more organic fertilizers starting
this year.

Several pilot projects that use organic fertilizer have been launched in West, East and Central Lampung regencies, he added.

“The farmers can easily make organic fertilizer or buy it from factories. Farmers should reduce their dependency on inorganic fertilizer in stages,” he said.

Apart from being cheaper, he said, organic fertilizer helped restore the soil’s fertility and structure.

“For years, farmers in Lampung have been using [inorganic] fertilizer at will. They saturate the soil beyond the required amounts. Chemical fertilizers not only harm the land but starting next year, the government’s subsidy for fertilizer will be reduced, meaning these fertilizers will be expensive,” Hanan said, referring to the central government’s plan to lower fertilizer subsidy from Rp 18.4 trillion to Rp 16.4 trillion starting in 2011.

The move, he said, would automatically boost retail prices.

If the plan to shift to organic fertilizer goes as planned, he said farmers can save significant production costs. This year, Lampung farmers received 535,812 tons of subsidized inorganic fertilizer and 24,268 tons of organic fertilizer. The subsidized fertilizers went to farmers in 11 regencies.

Rini Pahlawanti, the director of the NGO Environment and Nature Lovers Family (Watala), welcomed the plan, saying that the move to shift to organic fertilizer should have been taken by the administration long ago.

“Five years ago, we assisted thousands of farmers in West and East Lampung regencies, helping them to use organic fertilizer in their farms and rice fields,” she said.

“Rice farmers in East Lampung and vegetable farmers in West Lampung have enjoyed the benefits of using organic fertilizer.”

The chairman of the Lampung branch of the Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI), Faishol Djausal, said the administration should play active an role in disseminating the plan to farmers across Lampung.

— JP/Oyos Saroso H.N.