PALMOILMAGAZINE, BANDUNG – The persistent challenge of escalating plantation productivity remains unresolved, necessitating concerted efforts for resolution, potentially through research initiatives.
A significant yield gap exists between actual and attainable yields in both large-scale and smallholder plantations, surpassing 30%. The primary factors contributing to this gap are suspected to include the use of counterfeit seeds and substandard cultivation practices.
“The pressing challenge lies in bridging this gap, particularly in smallholder plantations,” remarked Riza Arief Putranto, Vice Head of the Palm Oil Research Center.
Notably, challenges in smallholder plantations revolve around lengthy market chains, low productivity, reduced income, and limited knowledge of optimal agricultural practices. Furthermore, smallholders face financial constraints due to insufficient economic scale, necessitating additional sources of income that divert their focus from palm oil cultivation.
The lack of capital for enhancing agricultural infrastructure exacerbates this issue. Additionally, conflicts over land ownership in certain regions and difficulties in obtaining certification (such as Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil and Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) compound the challenges faced by smallholders.
It is acknowledged or not, research could be the chance to answer palm oil industrial challenges. Unfortunately, palm oil research still faces challenges, such as, access issue to networking and achievements at the technological preparedness level, which do not qualify the expectation in the industrial world.
The other challenges are the quality, advantages, and originality of research ideas. These may not be maximal yet. Downstream development is at an intermediate level. Not many researchers understand what the markets need, and the research results do not yet answer the market challenges yet.
There are gaps between research development and research by the companies. The weakness in research and development in smallholders’ plantations and research and development that are oriented to users by smallholders’ groups.
“That is why it needs to reinforce research to answer the challenges and be adjustable with what stakeholders need of,” he said in the Focus Group Discussion Sharing Session “Kebijakan Industri Kelapa Sawit Nasional” in early of March 2024 in Bandung that Palmoilmagazine.com attended. (T2)
