InfoSAWIT, ACEH – Abubakar AR, the Chairman of the Aceh Palm Farmers Union (SPKS), has been actively assisting cooperatives and farmer groups in the online registration process for infrastructure aid proposals for road improvements from the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS). He hopes that the relevant authorities will not complicate the necessary administrative processes.
Currently, Abubakar is supporting three farmer organizations in two districts: Aceh Utara and Aceh Timur. In Aceh Utara, he is providing assistance to the Berkat Bunga Damai Producer Cooperative in Cot Girek Village. This cooperative manages a self-sustaining palm oil plantation covering 1,700 hectares with 600 farmer members. The farmers are facing difficulties due to severely damaged production and harvesting roads. Of the total road length that needs repair, approximately 120 kilometers with 86 damage points have been prioritized.
“The damaged roads have caused transportation costs for Fresh Fruit Bunches (TBS) to skyrocket. Farmers are forced to use Helin Gardang Dua vehicles at a cost of IDR 350 per kilogram. If not, the TBS could rot and not be purchased by palm oil processing factories (PKS),” Abubakar explained to InfoSAWIT on Saturday (March 1, 2025).
The Berkat Bunga Damai Cooperative has members in six villages: Cot Girek, Seureuke, Lubok Pusaka, Buket Lintueng (Langkahan District), Cinta Makmur (Baktiya), and Buket Hagu (Lhoksukon transmigration area). Therefore, they hope that the grant assistance from BPDPKS can be realized soon for infrastructure improvements.
In addition to Aceh Utara, assistance is also being provided to two farmer organizations in Aceh Timur, consisting of one farmer group association (Gapoktan) and one farmer group (Poktan). Abubakar hopes that local authorities will not complicate the administrative process if the required conditions are met.
“There are many obstacles that make it difficult for farmers to upload data, such as member legality (ID cards, family cards, land certificates, and recommendations). The farmer group management also needs to handle land declaration letters that receive recommendations outside the Business Use Rights (HGU) area from the Aceh Utara and Aceh Timur ATR/BPN Offices. Additionally, they must obtain recommendations outside protected forest areas from the Forest Area Consolidation Center (BPKH) in Banda Aceh,” he explained.
Abubakar emphasized that the involved vertical agencies must carry out their duties according to the Director General of Plantations Decision No. 273 of 2020 and the Director General of Plantations Decision No. 62 of 2023 regarding BPDP infrastructure funds. He stressed that no party should manipulate or impose certain fees for issuing recommendations.
“I will oversee this process. If there are individuals who complicate matters, we will not hesitate to report them to the National Police Headquarters’ Intelligence and Security Division. This is part of our commitment to supporting sustainable palm oil programs and bioenergy towards Indonesia Gold 2045, in line with the aspirations of the elected President and Vice President, Prabowo-Gibran,” concluded Abubakar. (T2)
