FARMERS SHOULD NOT WORRY ABOUT FERTILIZER SHORTAGE

Serang, Indonesia, Dec 6 (ANTARA) - Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono has called on farmers not to worry about fertilizer shortage in this year's plating season because fertilizer stock was more than sufficient for them.

In an unscheduled inspection to a fertilizer maker PT Pusri's storehouse at Sawah Luhur village in Serang, Banten, on Saturday morning, the agriculture minister found the fertilizer stock was in abundant.

"I see a great amount of fertilizer in the store house and therefore the farmers should not worry about it," Anton Ariantono said.

The minister said the farmers, especially in Banten province, should not struggle to buy fertilizer for fear of its shortage because the stock was more than enough during the planting season in December.

According to the minister, the fertilizer stock in the store house was around 25,000 tons but he expressed hope that it could be evenly and fairly distributed to the local farmers.

Anton also called on the distributors, local agriculture office, and fertilizer producers to distribute it quickly to the farmer without making the distribution complicated.

"If the farmers need fertilizer, their demand should be met in one day without delay," Anton said.