PALMOILMAGAZINE, SOUTH BANGKA – The village of Bikang, located in the Toboali Subdistrict of South Bangka Regency in the Kepulauan Bangka Belitung Province, has begun cultivating pineapples as an intercrop in palm oil plantations.
“Since 2022, the village and the Village Enterprises of Mitra Muda in Bikang have utilized the palm oil plantations for pineapple cultivation using an intercropping system,” stated Zulfani, the Head of Bikang Village, in Toboali, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com from Antara on Wednesday (June 12, 2024).
He mentioned that pineapples were chosen due to their ease of cultivation and the long-standing tradition of Bikang villagers as pineapple farmers. “Bikang has always been known for its pineapples, and we need to preserve this heritage. Additionally, the pineapples produced in Bikang are tasty, sweet, and have a low water content,” he added.
Also Read: Enhancing Palm Oil Product Diversification: Technical Training for MSMB in Babel
Pineapple is cultivated in palm oil plantations of the village that lays on about 12 hectares within about 30 thousand trees. The Village Enterprises are in charge to nurse and cultivate the pineapple. “The cultivation and nursery would cover the planting until the harvest. It would be 12 months to get harvest as the fastest one, and 15 months the longest within two applications of fertilizers,” Zulfani explained.
The harvest would be directly sold to pineabple gathering spot as the fuel to produce Habang Drink. “The pineapple would be harvested and sold to Bangsal Nanas to produce Habang Drink,” he said.
Secretary of Village Enterprises, Mitra Muda Village of Bikang, Marda said that it would be easy to nurse pineapple. It would be about cleaning the weeds and applying the fertilizers. “We just clean the weeds around the pineapple and apply some fertilizers. Besides, we also sort the fruits to be harvested,” Marda said. (T2)
