Sugar speculators are making a move

"From our several findings in the field, it is obvious that there is a link between these maneuvers. Sugar speculators are uncomfortable if the government has policies that favor farmers," the Chairman of the Indonesian Sugarcane Farmers Association (APTRI) Abdul Wachid told the press in Jakarta, Monday (23/5).

He said that earlier last week, farmers in Jombang were motivated into voicing threats to boycott the State-Owned Sugar Factories (PG), while in Surabaya traders tried to ride on the farmers by posing as farmer groups for the marketing of sugar in 2016.

According to information circulating amongst journalists, sugar traders from various cities have gathered in a discussion event held by Soemitro Samadikun, the Yogyakarta version of APTRI which has been abandoned by sugarcane farmers.

In the discussion version of APTRI by Soemitro which was held in Grha Kebon Agung Surabaya, Piko, a large sugar trader, was specifically asked to speak about "Sugar Marketing Strategy 2016." "This is a strange but real thing, an organization that calls itself farmers seems to be steered by sugar traders, and what else can you call it besides a puppet APTR," said Wachid.

He confirmed that since the APTRI Congress in Yogyakarta in late 2015, Soemitro's group should no longer claim to represent sugarcane farmers because they have been voted no confidence.

According to Wachid, the ideal attitude for a farmer's organization is neutrality and to avoid bias towards the interests of others, especially those who have opposing attitudes.

If there are policies such as the Farmer Card and government policies that guarantee the certainty of producing yields and purchasing farmers' sugar, then these policies must be supported."More than 60 percent of farmers' sugar is still yielding below 8.5 percent, so if there is a guarantee from the government that sugar will be purchased with an 8.5 percent yield by the State-Owned PG, then of course that policy must be supported," said the Chairman of APTRI who is also the Deputy Chairman of the DPR RI Sugar Special Committee.

On the other hand, sugarcane farmers themselves believe that the sugar traders' maneuvers will only further expose their true identity as people who simply want to profit from their business through sugar price speculation. "We as farmers appreciate the objectives of the State-Owned Enterprise Minister's various pioneering policies, including those regarding yield and price guarantees. This policy is positive for farmers, but for speculators it is naturally a blow," said the Chairman of APTRI PTPN X H Mubin.

According to Mubin, with the anxiety of traders who speculate on prices, they are adjusting their marketing strategies. Furthermore, they are involved behind the emergence of threats to boycott under the name of sugarcane farmers to PTPN X."Early last week, there was a party that claimed to represent farmers in Jombang by stating that they would boycott by not sending sugarcane to PTPN X. Then where will they send it? What is their motive? Let's not consider the public to be ignorant about the fact that agents and puppet traders are playing around with puppet organizations," he said.

He stated that the boycott threat is pure fabrication because the majority of farmers in Jombang in particular and in East Java in general still hold loyalty and the rationality that their sugarcane will still be milled at the PG owned by PTPN X which is one of the largest sugar State-Owned Enterprises in Indonesia. "If sugarcane is not milled, wouldn't the farmers suffer a loss? Then if farmers suffer losses, who will be the one to pay for them? We farmers are not stupid. There must be some individuals who are playing by voicing the interests of traders and speculators," said Mubin.

He added that currently the number of sugarcane shipments coming into the sugar factory is relatively high, as shown by the long queue of sugarcane transport trucks stretching for 3 km both at PG Gempolkrep, PG Ngadiredjo and PG Pesantren Baru. "This long queue is proof that the farmers are ignoring the scenario of the individuals claiming to represent the farmers to carry out a boycott, and these are the true facts," said Mubin while adding that the farmers have carried out logging and that they will continue to send sugarcane according to the schedule to the sugar factory.

Pertaining to the guarantee of minimal income for farmers equal to an 8.5 percent yield, the farmers have welcomed it with delight because they can now achieve greater income than before. (ant)

http://www.medanbisnisdaily.com/news/read/2016/05/24/235632/spekulan-gula-bermanuver/#.V0QfQyFna1s