InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA - There are some factors to boost palm oil plantation productivity nationally. But bringing in new pollinator insects would be one of many options to increase the production.
Palm oil plantations in Indonesia got not good news in the past few years because they faced the decreasing production. Although some plantations showed the stable production, unfortunately, there were not significant leaps of production. This clearly an issue to get solution.
The indication of the decreasing plantation productivity was heard by Chairman of Research and Development, Indonesian Palm Oil Association (IPOA). It encouraged to get something to deliver big changes in palm oil industries. Bringing in Elaidobius the new species, is believed to deliver new hope to increase palm oil plantation production and productivity.
That is why, IPOA, General Directorate of Plantation and Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PO PFMA) decided to take a leap. The three wanted to introduce the new species of pollinator insect from Africa. It is believed to boost palm oil productivity in Indonesia for being too long to be stagnant and even got decreased.
The reason behind the decision was so simple but very deep. For many years, the smallholders and stakeholders in Indonesia depended on one kind of pollinator insect that was from Cameroon through Malaysia in 1983. But as time goes by, the insect was not in good performance anymore, namely when it was in rainy season. As the result, palm oil production got decreased. The planters did not have any hope to increase their plantation production.
This kind of insect is different. Elaeidobius of other species is a workaholic. Even in the rainy season in palm oil plantations, it would not surrender. The insect would keep pollinating, confirming every palm oil flower would get the chance to develop to be mature fruit.
IPOA and the team believed, bringing in the new species would boost palm oil plantation productivity nationally. They projected, the increasing production and productivity would be up to 5 percent in the early release. The new hope gets higher and target to get maximal production heading to 2045.
Before the new kind of Elaeidobius insect is released to many palm oil plantations in Indonesia, they have to get research and development phases. The experts would try to confirm that the new one would adapt well in the local environment and could cut off the gap of real productivity with the maximal potential that were not achieved for all these years.
If everything runs as the plans, in the next few months, the smallholders and the stakeholders would significantly get the change. The regular plantations could be the new golden areas by the increasing productivity up to 20 percent.
Behind the decision, there would be new big hope for the future palm oil industries in Indonesia. By the innovation and willing to change, everything is possible.
“Our palm oil plantation productivity gets decreased,” Chairman in Research and Development IPOA, Dwi Asmono seriously said. He said that the plantation productivity in this country got decreased 0,3 percent in 2015 - 2019 and even in the past decade. “It is acknowledged that many factors influenced that, such as, the materials to plant, area adjustment, plant nutrition, cultivation practices, displine to harvest, climate change, and pollinator insects,” he said. (*)
for more, please read Majalah InfoSAWIT, September 2024
