The Papua Provincial Government is actively pursuing programs aimed at achieving rice self-sufficiency, with a focus on enhancing the Farmer Terms of Trade (FTT) and improving the overall welfare of local farmers. These initiatives are spearheaded by the provincial Food Crops, Horticulture, and Food Office.
Lunanka V.M.L. Daimboa, Head of the Papua Food Crops, Horticulture, and Food Office, stated on Sunday that efforts to elevate the FTT include expanding rice cultivation areas and boosting agricultural production. She detailed that government programs involve creating new rice fields, optimizing existing land, and developing upland rice varieties to further support production growth. Daimboa underscored that higher agricultural output directly contributes to an improved FTT.
She added that the Ministry of Agriculture is prioritizing national food self-sufficiency, particularly for rice, to ensure balanced progress across all regions, including Papua. Farmers are urged to maintain the quality and quantity of their produce and leverage available support programs to sustainably enhance agricultural yields and their livelihoods.
Providing further insight, Adriana Helena Carolina, Head of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Papua, explained that the FTT is a vital indicator of farmers’ purchasing power. It reflects the exchange value of agricultural products compared to the goods and services farmers consume, as well as their production costs.
According to Carolina, Papua’s FTT rose to 103.30 in March 2026. This increase was primarily driven by a 0.40 percent rise in the price index received by farmers, which outpaced the 0.16 percent increase in the price index paid by farmers. She also noted that four agricultural subsectors recorded an increase in FTT, with the livestock subsector experiencing the highest growth at 0.60 percent.
Source: Original
