Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said that the government has raised the fertilizer subsidy budget by Rp14 trillion. With a higher budget, 2.5 million more farmers can receive the fertilizer subsidy.

Previously, the government allocated a budget of Rp26.68 trillion for fertilizer subsidies in 2024.

"The initial budget of Rp26 trillion would only cover around 5.7 million farmers. Therefore, we need to add 2.5 million farmers," he said at his office in the Lapangan Banteng area, Central Jakarta on Monday, February 5.

Airlangga said that fertilizer subsidies are important as Indonesia is entering the planting season. With the additional subsidies, 7.7 million to 7.8 million tons of subsidized fertilizer is projected to be achieved this year.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), said Airlangga, has approved the plan to increase the subsidy. "Mr. President has agreed to add Rp14 trillion for the subsidy."

The Golkar Party chairman said that there are various ways to arrange funding sources so that the allocation of subsidies can be raised. One of the methods is automatic adjustment, which is the spending reserve of ministries/institutions that was temporarily blocked in the 2023 fiscal year spending ceiling, amounting to 5 percent, as a way to deal with global economic uncertainties and geopolitical turmoil.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1830263/jokowi-raises-fertilizer-subsidy-budget-by-rp14-trillio