InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Chairman of Serikat Petani Kelapa Sawit (SPKS), Sabarudin did welcome the decision of the government to increase smallholders replanting fund (SRP) fund to be Rp 60 million per hectare. In his statement, he said that this would be the same with what SPKS calculated. He thought, the smallholders that joined SPKS, Rp 30 million per hectare was not enough to optimally implement SRP.
“In the organization level, we have formulated, calculated, and suggested that the numbers should be increased to be Rp 60 million and it would be enough,” he said in an interview with InfoSAWIT, Wednesday (18/9/2024).
But Sabarudin also emphasized the increasing fund was not the only challenges that the smallholders faced. He said, the fund would be difficult for the smallholders to get namely about the complicated terms and condition before having SRP. “There are two main terms and conditions that always become the issues for the smallholders, they are, area status and recommendation from the related ministries,” he said.
The first conditions, he continued, would have something to do with the area status that got recommendation from Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial/National Land Agency even though the smallholders got freehold title. Besides, their areas should be re-measured and be confirm that the area is free from forest region or not being overlapping with one company’s business rights.
“The next one is the recommendation from Ministry of Environment and Forestry that stated the area should not be categorized as peat or forest region,” he said. The area verification, he continued, would slow down the smallholders to get SRP.
He also urged the government to revise the Regulation of Minister of Agriculture Number 3 about SRP. He thought the revision would be the need to simplify the procedures for the smallholders namely about area condition. He also suggested the area verification should be in simple system, such as, declaration from the smallholders, or having consultation with the local plantation agency, without involving Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial/National Land Agency or Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
Prior, the government through Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA) officially increased the SRP fund to be Rp 60 million per hectare. This would be effective per 1 September 2024. It was regulated by the Decision of Director of PFMA Number Kep-252/Dpks/2024 to accelerate SRP namely for the smallholders. It was decided after having meeting with PFMA Steering Committee in July and August 2024.
The increasing SRP fund would deliver new hopes for the smallholders when facing the challenges to maintain their plantation productivity and increase their welfare. But for it would be difficult to get the fund, the policy revision should be immediately conducted to ease them to realize the significant program. (T2)
