Vivi Hendrita, Fadilla Meidita, Juli Supriyanti
One of the government's initiatives to overcome fertilizer shortages and high fertilizer prices for farmers is to apply fertilizer subsidies. Even though the application of fertilizer subsidies has long been based on a policy process covering the purchases, distribution, and monitoring of fertilizers, challenges and problems remain to be found in the field. To reduce cases of misuse and scarcity of subsidized fertilizers, the government implements a policy on subsidized fertilizers with the use of the Farmer Card (Kartu Tani), launched based on Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture Number 47 of 2017 on the Allocation and Highest Retail Prices of Subsidized Fertilizers for the Agricultural Sector for Fiscal Year 2018. In Sijunjung District, the Farmer Card is used in the distribution of subsidized fertilizers. This program has been implemented since 2020. As many as 2,769 Farmer Cards, or around 76.63% of the total number of Farmer Cards, have been distributed so far. This research aimed to determine the implementation of subsidized fertilizer distribution using the Farmer Card and the problems faced in the field. This research is of a descriptive research type with a qualitative approach. Data analysis was carried out using a qualitative descriptive approach, including data collection, reduction, and presentation as well as conclusion drawing. The research results showed that the mechanism for distributing subsidized fertilizers has been in accordance with the provisions set by the government. A number of obstacles related to the use of the Farmer Card in redeeming subsidized fertilizers have been identified throughout the course from the drafting of the Definitive Plan for Group Needs (RDKK) to the distribution of Farmer Cards. © 2025 Author(s).
Department of Agroindustry, Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia
