Jakarta, Oct 4 (Antara) - The exchange rate of Aceh's farmers declined by 0.31 percent in September, as compared to that in the previous month of August.
Yet, the decline in the exchange rate of the farmers does not necessarily reflect a decline in their welfare. Moreover, last month, farmers' products, in the form of commodities, succeeded in boosting the province's economic growth.
The farmers' exchange rate (NTP) is not the best measurement to reflect the farmer's level of prosperity. Yet, it is a good indicator of the farmers' level of purchasing power.
Up till now, experts and observers are still debating whether the level of NTP reflects the level of farmers' welfare. Even though farmers' NTP in September dropped to 0.31 percent, yet in the second quarter of 2017, Aceh recorded an increase in economic growth thanks to the development of its agricultural sector, where about 70 percent of Aceh people are farmers.
Aceh Province recorded a higher economic growth in the second quarter as compared to the first quarter of 2017, owing to the contribution of several sectors, particularly plantation, and other agricultural commodities.
Yufrizal, the chief representative of Bank Indonesia for Lhokseumawe, noted that Aceh's higher economic growth in the second quarter of 2017 was recorded at 4.01 percent.
Based on data quoted by the Aceh office of the Central Bureau of Statistics, Aceh's economy in the second quarter of 2017, as measured on the basis of the current prices and gross domestic product, had grown to Rp35.70 trillion, or $2.68 billion. It rose 1.38 percent from that recorded in the first quarter of 2017.
Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) of Aceh noted that the farmers' NTP in September 2017 decreased by 0.31 percent compared to the previous month as it only reached 94.18 points.
"This was because there were only two sub-sectors that were increasing, namely the horticulture and plantation crops," Aceh Head of BPS, Wahyudin, remarked in Banda Aceh on Tuesday (Sept 3).
The increase in the two subsectors has resulted in the index received by farmers (IT) to increase slightly to only 0.06 percent, while the index paid by farmers (IB) increased to 0.38 percent, he added.
The decline in the farmers' exchange rate occurred in three subsectors of food crops, farms, and fisheries, as compared to that in the previous month of August 2017. "The highest increase in the NTP growth in smallholder plantation was 0.08 percent, but on the other hand, the largest decrease took place in the fisheries sub-sector at 1.63 percent," he explained.
He noted that the price index received by farmers in September increased by 0.06 percent, compared to that in the previous period.
The increase in the farmer's price index value is occurring in two subsectors, namely horticulture and smallholder plantation, due to price hike of vegetables, fruits, and improved oil palm.
The farmers' IT in the two subsectors (horticulture and smallholder plantation) were recorded at 1.14 percent and 121 percent, respectively, while the other three IT subsectors were down, and the highest decrease was in the fisheries subsector, dripping to 1.19 percent," he explained.
In September 2017, the price index paid by farmers in Aceh increased by 0.38 percent, compared to the previous period. As is known, the number of farmers and fishermen in Aceh Province released by BPS Aceh in 2015 was recorded at a total of 71,064 people spread across 23 districts/cities.
"The increase in IB occurred in all subsectors, with the highest increase in food crops, namely 0.47 percent, while the other four sub-sectors increased at a range of 0.99 percent to 1.12 percent," Wahyudin revealed.
BPS data for September 2017, as reported from 33 provinces, recorded nine provinces whose NTP were declining. The highest one was in Bangka Belitung, with 0.95 percent, and lowest one was in North Sumatra.
Twenty-four other provinces experienced increases in their NTP, with South Sumatra recording the highest increase of NTP at 2.16 percent and Southeast Sulawesi recording the lowest NTP at 0.03 percent.
It is, therefore, important for Aceh to continue to boost the development of its agriculture sector and increase its commodity production in its efforts to increase farmers¿ NTP.
After all, according to Yufrizal, Aceh's economy will improve again in the third and fourth quarters of 2017, and one of the main factor that supported the economic growth is the agricultural sector.
In 2016, agriculture and fisheries contributed 21 percent to gross domestic product (GDP) of Aceh, according to Wikipedia. It was the second biggest after the oil, gas and mining sector which contributed 25 percent.
It was followed by trade, hotel and restaurant at 14 percent; manufacturing industry at 14 percent; services at 13 percent; building/construction at 5 percent; transport & communications at 5 percent; and banking & other financial services at 1 percent. ***3***
(A014/INE)
EDITED BY INE/B003
(T.A014/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 04-10-2017 19:46 |
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