InfoSAWIT, TANJUNG SELOR – North Kalimantan Province planned to deliver positive program for the smallholders, such as, providing certified palm oil seeds. This would escalate their sustainability and harvest in the province. Many smallholders and their groups are enthusiastic about the program.
One representative of the smallholders, Andi Ismail said he was happy for the provincial government’s program. He thought certified palm oil seeds would be the very good solution to what he and his friends faced for all these years. They were difficult to purchase certified seeds.
“Of course, this is very excellent because Food Security and Agriculture Agency North Kalimantan Province would deliver solution for smallholders to develop palm oil plantations,” Ismail said, as quoted from online media, benuanta.
He also mentioned that some smallholders should take a short cut in palm oil seed purchase instantly and they got loss when being in harvest time.
Andi continued the harvests were not the same as what they expected. This forced them to stop working as smallholder. But by having certified seeds, he would be optimist that the smallholders would significantly got help and would encourage others to be smallholders again.
Marketing Representative ASD-Bakrie, Grace who is in charge in the program mentioned that the company is ready to provide qualified and certified seeds. The company would deliver education for smallholders about selecting palm oil seeds according to their land. This is hoped to help smallholders to understand the good seeds with their areas, and to prevent illegal seeds.
Head of Food Security and Agriculture Agency North Kalimantan Province, Heri Rudiyono said that the province is committed to support agricultural development. Palm oil is taken to have big potential to escalate the people’s economy by providing certified seeds. This would be strategy to optimize the big potential.
“If we can produce much and qualified fresh fruit bunch (FFB), one thing for sure, there would be many orders from this province and agriculture would develop because there would be many open chances, such as, employment,” Heri said.
By this progressive action, North Kalimantan is hoped to support not only smallholders to escalate their harvest, but also deliver positive impact in local economy. Providing certified palm oil seeds would not be the solution but also the future investment in sustainable and profitable agricultural business. (T2)
