Farmers Only Earn US$0.57 per Day

VIVAnews - Indonesian farmers are apparently living low-quality lives. The spokesperson of Coalition 16 Agricultural Stance Organization, Dwi Astuti said the average amount of a farmer’s daily income is only Rp 5,175 (US$0.57).

According to her, that is the exact amount of money earned by 17 million farmers in the country. “It’s really low, it’s not even enough to cater their daily needs,” Astuti said at Bumbu Desa Restaurant in Cikini, Jakarta on Monday, April 26.

She also said farmers had only received Rp 800 of raise in two years.

Based on the data obtained from Indonesian Farmers Association, in 2007, the farmers’ average amount of revenue was only Rp 4.375 and went up by Rp 800 to Rp 5.175.

“It’s pretty low for a family of four. What’s more painful is that the number is even lower than the inflation rate, “ a representative for the association, Yakub said.

He went on by saying that the issue is due to the high cost of agricultural production starting from cultivation to harvest.

Regarding the subsidies, Yakub and Astuti said they were only given to industries.

Meanwhile, most farmers, who have difficulties in getting access, choose to buy fertilizers that are worth Rp 180 thousand per sack.

“The government is supposed to improve the farmers’ lives by implementing agriculture reform instead of a food estate,” Yakub said.

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Translated by: Nataya Ermanti

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