Presidential Support for Farmers, Birth of Import Restrictions on Cassava and Ethanol This policy becomes a solution to the cassava price crisis that is detrimental to farmers. Red: Ferry kisihandi

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The determination of the Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman in advocating for the welfare of cassava and sugarcane farmers since January 2025 has yielded tangible results. Under the directive of President Prabowo Subianto, who has shown strong support for farmers, the government issued two trade ministerial regulations (permendag) on 19 September 2025 to tighten the import of cassava, tapioca flour, and ethanol. This policy became a solution to the cassava price crisis that was detrimental to farmers, while also ensuring the absorption of local harvests and the stability of strategic commodity prices. The cassava price crisis began to emerge in January 2025, triggered by a flood of tapioca flour imports that caused local harvests to go unabsorbed. On 23 January, thousands of cassava farmers from seven districts in Lampung held a protest at a tapioca flour processing factory, demanding prices in accordance with the Joint Decree (SKB) of ...