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Government distributes farmer cards to buy fertilizers in East Java
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Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman (fourth right), State Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno (third left) and Sumenep Regent Busyro Karim (second left) pose for photographs with farmers after the delivery of Farmer Cards (Kartu Tani) to farmers in Sumenep Regency, Madura Island, East Java on June 6.
(JP/Stefani Ribka)
T
he government has begun distributing farmers cards (Kartu Tani) in East Java as a form of non-cash assistance to buy subsidized fertilizers.
Previously, similar cards were distributed to farmers in Central Java.
As many as 96,098 farmers in Sumenep Regency in Madura Island, East Java, received the cards on Tuesday during the launch.
"Farmers only need to swipe the cards to get the fertilizer. There's no more incorrect data and it's a quick way [to get fertilizer]," said Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, adding that farmers needed to top up the balance on the cards at the fertilizer kiosks.
The government, through farmer group heads, will only give the cards to farmers entitled to subsidized fertilizers to stop the misuse of subsidies that was rampant in the past.
Now, with the card, data of transactions and buyers are recorded to minimize misuse.
State lender BNI aims to disburse the cards to 1.3 million farmers in the province this year. As many as 567,000 farmers have been verified and will receive the cards soon, said BNI’s institutional relation and transactions director Adi “Susi” Sulistyowati.
The government aims to introduce the cards to crops farmers in Java this year before targeting farmers across the country next year.
State banks will manage the fund based on province. BNI is in charge in East Java; BRI in Central Java; Mandiri in West Java and BTN in Banten. (bbn)
