Strengthening The National Sugar Ecosystem, ID FOOD Increases Productivity Of Tebu Farmers

Frans Marganda Tambunan

JAKARTA - The government continues to encourage increased sugar productivity in order to realize national sugar self-sufficiency.

One of them is by strengthening the collaboration between SOEs and sugarcane farmers in the Makmur program.

This program includes cultivation assistance activities, technology utilization, off-take yields, funding, and insurance.

ID FOOD President Director Frans Marganda Tambunan said this program aims to support increased productivity of sugarcane farmers and integrate the sugar business process from upstream to downstream.

"Yesterday, Friday, we harvested and planted sugarcane cane for the Makmur Collaboration ID FOOD and Pupuk Indonesia program. This activity is the result of assistance from the assisted farmers of the Makmur program within the scope of PT PG Rajawali I of the Krebet Baru Malang Sugar Factory (PG) unit," said Frans, in Jakarta, Sunday, October 1.

As of August 2023, said Frans, the land area of the Makmur program at PG Krebet Baru has realized an area of 9,307 hectares (Ha) and involved 10,967 farmers.

In this program, he continued, ID FOOD through its subsidiary PT PG Rajawali I and Pupuk Indonesia through PT Petro Kimia Gresik synergizes to provide assistance in sugarcane planting in a number of areas in East Java province.

The planting was carried out in a location that is the scope of PT PG Rajawali I, namely PG Rejo Agung Baru in Madiun and PG Krebet Baru in Malang, as well as PG Candi Baru in Sidoarjo.

"The largest scale we run is PG Krebet Baru Malang. As for PG Rejo Agung Madiun, the planting area has been realized with an area of 3,402 Ha with the participation of 828 farmers and PG Baru Sidoarjo Temple has been carried out on an area of 251 Ha involving 25 farmers," he said.

"So that in total for the East Java region we have run a sugarcane cultivation assistance program for Makmur farmers on an area of 12,960 Ha with the participation of 11,820 sugarcane farmers," he continued.

Overall for sugarcane commodities, from January to September 21, 2023, ID FOOD has realized a plant area of 19,049 Ha.

This number is a merger of realization in West Java and East Java.

"The realization of ID FOOD cane planting until September 21, 2023 has increased or has exceeded the realization of planting in 2022 by 12,691 Ha," he explained.

According to Frans, the Makmur program has had a positive impact and benefit on the productivity and income of sugarcane farmers partners.

This can be seen from the increase in productivity before and after the implementation of Makmur, where the results of the demplot of PT PG Rajawali I and Gresik chemical Petro showed an increase in productivity of 9.4 percent, from 1,024 QUintals (Ku) per Ha to 1,120 Ku per Ha.

In terms of revenue, the result of the defect also contributed to an increase in revenue of 9.4 percent or from Rp. 96 million per Ha to Rp. 105 million per Ha.

"It is hoped that the presence of this program will gradually foster the trust and interest of the community in growing sugar cane," he explained.

Furthermore, Frans explained, in the synergy of the Makmur program, ID FOOD through its subsidiaries engaged in the sugar industry acts as supervisors and assistants to the sugarcane cultivation process and off taker of yields.

In addition, ID FOOD also cooperates with associations and cooperatives as a forum for farmer groups, as well as the banking sector for the funding aspect.

Meanwhile, Pupuk Indonesia through Petro Kimia Gresik provides quality fertilizers and other activities, such as soil analysis, consulting fertilization technology, controlling pests and plant diseases, as well as socializing balanced fertilization.

Frans revealed that this program will continue to be monitored and scaled up. In 2023, the national sugarcane planting area is targeted at 112,631 Ha.

This amount is the highest compared to other commodities such as rice, corn, palm oil, and coffee.

This program is a form of close loop of the sugar industry that integrates supply chains from upstream to downstream. We are optimistic that the continued growth in the implementation of the Makmur program in the sugar industry sector can support the strengthening of the national sugar ecosystem. This is a form of SOE support for the acceleration of national sugar self-sufficiency, as well as to realize the inclusiveness of sugarcane farmers," said Frans.