Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s farmer purchasing power reached a record in July, with the Farmer Terms of Trade (NTP) rising to 127.84, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said Tuesday, citing Statistics Indonesia.Amran said the July reading was the highest since Indonesia gained independence, underscoring gains from government policies targeting farm costs, productivity and income protection.NTP measures farmers’ purchasing power by comparing prices they receive with prices paid for household consumption and agricultural production.“Food self-sufficiency must bring prosperity to farmers. If farmers prosper, production will increase, and people will also get food at stable prices,” Amran said.The government has reworked the agricultural supply chain through deregulation, streamlined services, stronger production facilities, infrastructure development and measures to support crop prices.A key reform was subsidized fertilizer distribution. Presidential Regulation No. 6 of 2025 simplified management to help farmers receive fertilizer faster and more efficiently.The government also cut subsidized fertilizer price ceilings by about 20 percent. Urea fell to Rp1,800 (US$0.10) per kilogram from Rp2,250, while NPK fell to Rp1,840 from Rp2,300.The changes were designed to lower farming costs while maintaining fertilizer supplies needed to support agricultural productivity.The government also streamlined aid distribution, including improved seeds, agricultural machinery and other strategic farm programs.It also expanded irrigation rehabilitation and water-pumping programs to help farmers cope with climate-related challenges.Amran said improved water availability allowed farmers to maintain or increase planting intensity and sustain land productivity.The government also set the purchase price for harvested unhusked rice at Rp6,500 (US$0.37) per kilogram, giving farmers greater price and market certainty during harvests.“Farmers must earn a fair profit. The state is present from providing fertilizer, water, and mechanization to ensuring their harvest is absorbed at a good price,” Amran said.The policies are creating a stronger agricultural ecosystem by lowering costs, improving productivity, expanding water access and supporting farm prices, Amran said.He said food self-sufficiency should be judged not only by meeting domestic demand but also by whether it delivers tangible economic benefits to farmers.“President Prabowo assigned us to achieve food self-sufficiency as soon as possible. But more importantly, food self-sufficiency must bring prosperity to farmers,” Amran said.The minister said the gains resulted from broad reforms across agriculture rather than a single measure, spanning the supply chain from production to markets.“All of these efforts are reflected in the July 2026 Farmer Terms of Trade, which reached the highest level in Indonesia’s history,” Amran said.