VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. The N439K mutation causes the SARS-CoV-2 virus, causal to the COVID-19 outbreak, to avoid antibodies, according to the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI).

"The N439K mutation can also cause the virus to escape from several virus-neutralizing antibodies that are formed from the Wuhan variant," Head of Applied Genetic Engineering and Design Protein Laboratory of LIPI Dr.rer.nat Wien Kusharyoto stated when contacted by ANTARA here on Friday.

Kusharyoto expounded that the N439K mutation was first reported in Scotland in March 2020 and has currently spread to over 35 nations, including Indonesia. The N439K variant was detected in Indonesia in November 2020.

The N439K mutation is located in the receptor-binding motif (RBM) of the spike protein. RBM is part of the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein and is the main target of virus-neutralizing antibodies that are formed either owing to viral infection or due to vaccine administration.

According to Kusharyoto, there are indications that the mutation increases the affinity or ability to bind to the virus with the ACE-2 receptor in humans, and there is a slight increase in viral content when infected by a variant with the mutation, though does not exacerbate the disease.

N439K mutations have existed in Indonesia since November 2020. In Indonesia, other coronavirus variants include B117 from the UK and D614G.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin had earlier stated that one of the characteristics of the new variant of the N439K coronavirus was that it disappeared faster.

The Task Force for the Indonesian Doctors Association (Satgas IDI) reported 48 cases of the new coronavirus variant of N439K in Indonesia. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Harvick Hasnul Qolbi made assurance that the subsidized fertilizer stock would suffice for immediate distribution before the start of the second planting season in the April-May period.

"I have checked the fertilizer stock. Alhamdulillah (thank God), I can see that the fertilizer stock is adequate," Qolbi noted in a statement here on Friday.

During his visit to state fertilizer producer PT Pupuk Kujang Cikampek on Thursday (March 25), Qolgi was optimistic of the company boosting its subsidized fertilizer stock that currently stood at 1.9 million tons during the planting season.

Meanwhile, Vice President Director of PT Pupuk Indonesia Nugroho Christijanto confirmed that the Pupuk Indonesia Group had allotted 1.9 million tons of subsidized fertilizer for the April-May planting season.

The amount is three folds higher than the government's minimum stock requirement. It comprises 1.1 million tons of urea, 367 thousand tons of NPK Phonska, 156 thousand tons of SP-36, 185 thousand tons of ZA, and 135 thousand tons of Petroganik.

"Of the total amount, the subsidized fertilizer stock for West Java has reached 153 thousand tons. It comprised 92.4 thousand tons of urea, 29.4 thousand tons of NPK Phonska, 15.1 thousand tons of SP-36, 8.6 thousand tons of ZA, and 7.8 thousand tons of Petroganik," Christijanto remarked.

Pupuk Indonesia, the holding company for state-run fertilizer firms, has nine packing plants, six distribution centers, 203 ships, six thousand trucks, 595 warehouses with a capacity of 3.1 million tons, and a network of 1,200 distributors, with 29 thousand kiosks.

"We ensure all facilities and the distribution network of the Pupuk Indonesia Group would run optimally to welcome this second planting season," he affirmed.

The state-run fertilizer company is mandated to distribute subsidized fertilizer as allocated by the government. In 2021, subsidized fertilizer allocation in accordance with Agriculture Minister Regulation No. 49 of 2020 was set at 9.04 million tons and 1.5 million liters of liquid organic fertilizer.

The company has also been tasked with providing non-subsidized fertilizer stock that currently reaches 754 thousand tons.

"This is aimed at meeting the farmers' demand that could not be covered by subsidized fertilizer," he added.

During the visit, the deputy agriculture minister launched the Agro Solution Program of Pupuk Indonesia Group, with the initial planting in Tempuran Sub-district, Karawang District, West Java.

The company initiated the Agro Solution Program last year to increase the farmers' productivity through the provision of non-subsidized agricultural input that covers fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides; access to capital; harvest off-take; and agriculture insurance.

PT Pupuk Kujang Cikampek, as a member of the holding company, has a 210-hectare of pilot project for the program in Tempuran Sub-district. The project has involved the Prima Agro cooperative unit, PT Bank BJB, PT Panca as the off-taker, PT Jasindo for agriculture insurance, and PT Pupuk Kujang Cikampek to supervise the farming technology.

"We are developing this scheme and involving many parties, and this year, we set the target to have 50 thousand hectares of agricultural land under the Agro Solution Program," he affirmed.

The trial on paddy planting in the districts of Jember, Banyuwangi, Bima, Dompu, Ponorogo, Magetan, and Madiun found that the Agro Solution Program can boost productivity by some 55 percent, from 6.28 tons to 9.73 tons per hectare.  (Antaranews)

Jakarta. West Sulawesi Province has outlined a target to export 42.5 thousand tons of palm oil valued at Rp535.8 billion in 2021, with China eyed as the largest export destination.

In 2020, West Sulawesi had exported 24 thousand tons of palm oil worth Rp235 billion, and the figure is projected to increase to 42.6 thousand tons this year owing to high demand abroad in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief of the Agricultural Quarantine Board Ali Jamil stated here on Thursday.

In comparison with 2020, the export target for palm oil for 2021 signifies a 77-percent rise.

"The export hike is the result of cooperation between the local people, stakeholders, and the Agricultural Quarantine Board of the West Sulawesi Plantation Office, the Industry and Trade Office, Customs Authorities and other relevant agencies," he pointed out.

The export hike aligns with the government's efforts to boost farm commodity exports through the three-fold export hike movement (Gratieks). (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita has forecast the base metal industry to record a growth of 3.54 percent this year.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, the base metal industry continues to grow well. In 2020, the metal industry grew positively," Kartasasmita noted in a written statement released on Thursday.

The growth indicates that the metal industry is highly resilient and capable of withstanding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and is prepared to boost its capacity and performance this year, he noted.

The performance was attributed to the high realization of investment and trade surplus in the metal industry, especially base metal and efforts to control steel imports.

To encourage the national metal industry, which has a high competitive edge, the minister accentuated the importance of creating a conducive and competitive business climate to push the utility and innovative capacity of the industry.

"To create a conducive business climate in the metal industry during this pandemic, the government, in this case, the industry ministry has adopted several policies to ensure that the industry can continue to conduct its business activities in this difficult period. In fact, the industry is expected to contribute to the nation’s economic recovery and protect the national economy from the threat of the crisis during the pandemic," he noted.

In drafting the policy, the industry ministry placed the steel industry as one of strategic partners that served as the "mother of industry" for the manufacturing sector, he stated.

As the key component of the nation’s economic development, the metal industry can potentially contribute to the national economy through added value, have a domino effect on social economic activities, create jobs, produce foreign exchange earnings, and eventually serve as a driving factor for the competitive edge of the national economy, he stated. (Antaranews)