Palm Oil Becomes The Prima Donna Of The Community Economy In East Belitung

East Belitung Regent Burhanudin. (Mery Handayani / VOI)

EAST BELITUNG - People in East Belitung are now not only relying on the mining industry for the economy. However, slowly people turn to the plantation sector, namely palm oil.

East Belitung Regent Burhanudin said oil palm is now one of the sectors that people in his area still use to encourage the economy.

"East belitung is actually living from mining. So in our area there is a quartz sand mine, there is a tin mine, there is clay, and kaolin, after which the earth metal is rare, zinc," he said in the Press Tour. Palm Oil Contribution to the State Budget and the Economy, Wednesday, August 28.

"But oil palm is now the prima donna, palm oil is the driving force for the community's economy now," he continued.

Burhanudin admitted that he had also appealed to people in his area to join the partnership program by utilizing land in the yard.

So behind houses that still have forests, in villages there are still many forests. That's what doesn't matter, they can partner, the seeds are from companies, fertilizer from companies they also partner with companies to develop the community's economy from the palm oil sector," he explained.

For your information, currently the total area of oil palm plantations in East Belitung Regency reaches 62,064.67 hectares (Ha). This number already includes private plantations of 49,682.64 Ha.

Then, plasma plantations or partnerships amounted to 6,519.38 Ha and people's plantations of 5,862.65 Ha. Meanwhile, the total production of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) of palm oil in East Belitung Regency reached 1,019,051.75 tons. Meanwhile, for crude palm oil (CPO) as much as 203,810.35 tons.

Reflecting on the data, Burhanudin said palm oil in East Belitung Regency contributed quite a lot to the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN).

In fact, Burhanudin said that the contribution of the palm oil sector to the state budget could reach trillions.

"Especially for palm oil when it comes to income, I think on average oil palm plantations in Indonesia are sent outside. Starting from palm oil, palm oil CPO, it all comes out because outside is more expensive," he explained.