InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – The Government of Indonesia would expand the roles of Palm Oil Plantation Fun Management Agency (POPFMA) by conversing it to be Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA) that would cover many plantation commodities, such as, cocoa, coconut, and rubber. This would be about to escalate competitiveness and plantation productivity of the three which are now left behind from palm oil.
Coordinator Minister in Economy, Airlangga Hartarto said that the explansion of POPFMA would be about to encourage the economy localy, namely in Sumatera and Kalimantan. “In Sumatera and Kalimantan, the economic mobilizer is plantation (sectors). That is why we would encourage cocoa, coconut, and rubber industris not to be left behind from palm oil,” he said in his office, Jakarta, Thursday (25/7/2024).
He thought, the substitution of POPFMA to be PFMA was discussed in the coordination meeting with Ministry of Trade. The government realized it would be significant to encourage plantation industries in our country to escalate the economy and deliver new chances in this sector. By the conversion it is hoped plantation sectors would escalate their productivity and would not be left behind from palm oil that has dominated for all these years.
“Cocoa, for instance, was developing in about 800 thousand hectares in its peak. But now cocoa plantations just laid on about less than 200 thousand hectares. This kind of industry is lack of material. Coconut, rubber, and cocoa are now left behind from palm oil but every commodity has the same potential. That is why PFMA would be in charge to revitalize the other commodities,” Airlangga said.
He also mentioned, there have been coconut seeds that would grow short in Thailand. This would ease the harvest process. “The coconut seeds in Thailand would grow short. It is easy to harvest, just like palm oil tree. While in food and drink industry, coconut, sugar palm, and others are needed the most,” he said.
The revitalization should escalate not only cocoa, coconut, and rubber production but also would reinforce economic security where the three commodities grew. This would be part of the government’s strategies to get economic diversity and escalate plantation commodity competition in the globe. (T2)
