PALMOILMAGAZINE, MAMUJU – The West Sulawesi Plantation Agency held a meeting to determine the ‘K’ index for August 2024 and set the fresh fruit bunch (FFB) prices for smallholders in the province.
The meeting took place at Berkah Hotel, Mamuju, on Friday, August 9, 2024, and was chaired by Andi Sitti Kamalia, Secretary of the West Sulawesi Plantation Agency, on behalf of the Head of the Agency, Herdin Ismail.
Representatives from the Plantation and Livestock Agency of Pasangkayu Regency, the Agriculture and Food Security Agency of Mamuju Tengah Regency, and the West Sulawesi Police Department also attended the meeting.
The focus was on the ‘K’ index, proposed by various plantation companies that are members of the FFB Price Decision Team. The discussion was guided by the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture Number 01/PERMENTAN/KB. 120/1/2018, which aims to protect planters by ensuring fair FFB prices and preventing unhealthy competition among plantation companies.
In her remarks, Andi Sitti Kamalia stressed the importance of accurately determining the ‘K’ index to ensure that FFB prices remain competitive, thereby supporting the welfare of planters and smallholders. The meeting concluded with the decision that FFB from trees aged 10-20 years would be priced at Rp. 2,595.83/kg for August 2024, an increase of Rp. 48.43/kg from July 2024’s price of Rp. 2,547.40/kg.
Head of West Sulawesi Plantation Agency, Herdin Ismail said the better price was the result from ‘K’ index decision, the whole market evaluation, and FFB quality. “We do understand, the changing price would have something do do with the smallholders’ income,” Herdin said, as Palmoilmagazine.com quoted from the official page of West Sulawesi Plantation Agency, Sunday (11/8/2024).
Herdin hoped the smallholders would positively get the price and keep coordinating with the agency to get the same goal in developing palm oil plantations in the province. He continued the price decision would be about to maintain the interest balance between the smallholders and industries to keep operating. (P2)
