Appreciating President Prabowo’s Smart Strategy to Overcome Fertilizer Scarcity
By: Sandy Hapsari )*
In dealing with the problem of fertilizer scarcity that has been in the spotlight, the Government under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto has taken strategic steps by issuing Presidential Regulation Number 6 of 2025 concerning Subsidized Fertilizer Management. This regulation is the basis for a firmer and more targeted policy in managing fertilizer distribution to support the productivity of the agricultural and fisheries sectors in Indonesia. One of the steps taken is to grant permission to BUMN Pupuk to import to ensure that national fertilizer needs can be met properly.
This import policy shows the government’s commitment to ensuring the availability of subsidized fertilizer for food crop farmers and fish farmers. Not only prioritizing domestic production, President Prabowo also provides flexibility for fertilizer companies to meet domestic needs through procurement from abroad if necessary. This is a concrete step in anticipating the potential for fertilizer scarcity that can have an impact on the productivity of the agricultural sector.
The determination of the allocation of subsidized fertilizer carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture has also been updated. Previously, this process was hampered by long bureaucracy, but now the mechanism is simpler with direct instructions to the party responsible for fertilizer distribution. This allows fertilizer distribution to Farmer Group Associations (Gapoktan) and official retailers to be faster and more efficient.
In addition to changes in governance, the government has also expanded the types of fertilizers that receive subsidies. Not only urea, SP-36, ZA, and NPK fertilizers, but now organic fertilizers are also included in the list of those subsidized. This expansion is a response to the increasingly diverse needs of farmers and is also part of the government’s efforts to encourage sustainable agriculture by utilizing environmentally friendly fertilizers.
Pupuk Indonesia, as a BUMN mandated to maintain national food security, continues to ensure the availability of fertilizer stocks down to the level of distributors and official kiosks. This company implements the 6 Tepat (6T) principle which includes the accuracy of type, quantity, price, place, time, and quality in the distribution of subsidized fertilizers.
Pupuk Indonesia Corporate Secretary, Wijaya Laksana, explained that one of the strategic steps that has been taken is the implementation of a digital system called i-Pubers (Integration of Subsidized Fertilizers). This system allows farmers to redeem subsidized fertilizer more easily by simply using their Identity Card (KTP).
Since its implementation in January 2024, the i-Pubers system has recorded millions of subsidized fertilizer redemption transactions throughout Indonesia. This distribution digitization not only increases transparency, but also ensures that fertilizer distribution is in accordance with farmer data recorded in the definitive group needs plan (E-RDKK). With this technology, the farmer data verification process is faster and more accurate, so that fertilizer distribution can run more smoothly.
In an effort to maintain the availability of subsidized fertilizer, Pupuk Indonesia also ensures that the initial stock of the year is sufficient for the needs of farmers throughout Indonesia. As of January 2025, the stock of subsidized fertilizer available in regional warehouses has exceeded the minimum requirements set by the government. This step was taken to guarantee farmers’ fertilizer needs for the next few weeks.
In addition to ensuring stock availability, the government is also carrying out strict supervision of the distribution of subsidized fertilizer. The Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, said that the long bureaucracy that previously involved various ministries in the fertilizer distribution process has now been cut. With this change, the instruction for direct fertilizer distribution is given by the Ministry of Agriculture to Pupuk Indonesia Holding Company (PIHC), which then distributes fertilizer to Gapoktan. This step is believed to accelerate the distribution process and eliminate administrative obstacles that have been obstacles so far.
The Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, also welcomed the policy because it will accelerate the distribution of fertilizer to farmers. With simpler regulations, fertilizer distribution at the beginning of the year is expected to run smoothly without administrative obstacles that have often occurred. Minister Amran emphasized that this change provides great hope for Indonesian farmers to get fertilizer on time.
In addition, the government also continues to encourage synergy with various stakeholders to ensure that the distribution of subsidized fertilizer runs optimally. With support from related ministries and BUMN, the government is optimistic that the target of subsidized fertilizer absorption of 9.55 million tons in 2025 can be achieved.
