Menjadi Teman Petani Sawit
Menjadi Teman Petani Sawit
Oil palm commodity is a commodity of excellence from Indonesia with the fruit is processed into palm oil. The vast area of oil palm plantations and the high number of oil palm farmers need the support from government and private sector.
Csis Onei Hercuantoro S.T. is the owner of private company that develops oil palm. Along with two other fellow students who are alumni of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Onei formed the PT. Prosympac Agro Lestari oil palm company in Sungai Gelam, Jambi province, in 2012, developing an area sized 8,000 hectares. This plantation belongs to the local farmers who are guided by PT. Prosympac Agro Lestari.
One of the forms of cooperation between them is traning and briefing so that the quality of oil production is good. The training comes in various media, poster and distribution of 3,000 Digital Versatile Discs on planting tutorials.
No less than 2,500 farmers are guided by Prosympac Agro Lestari. According to Onei, the farmers had not received training from government so far, so they did the cutivation traditionally by themselves. Hence, the training from this company is welcomed enthusiastically.
In terms of price, PT. Prosympac Agro Lestari refers to the Plantation Agency guidelines to buy the fruit from the farmers, which will benefit the farmers as the price is higher than the market price. The company will later examine and control the quality of the commodity.
It all resulted in the productivity of oil palms that increased from 1-1.5 ton per hectare per month to 1.8 ton. This is welcomed positively by the farmers. Onei hoped the cooperation with the farmers would sustain.
“As far as I’m concerned, the company helps increase the economy of the local people. As academic community of UGM we have to uphold the status of Campus of the People and get closer to the people,” said Onei.