PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Kacuk Sumarto, Chairman of Rumah Sawit Indonesia (RSI), emphasized the need for paddy fields receiving intense rainfall for the palm oil-paddy gogo integrated program. This integration involves planting paddy fields within palm oil plantations, specifically in the SRP (Smallholder Replanting Program), until the palm trees reach approximately three years of age.
In the first year, around 70% of the area can be planted, decreasing to 50% in the second year and 30% in the third year. This reduction is due to the expanding crown of the palm oil trees, which progressively reduces the available planting space for paddy gogo.
If SRP continues on a national scale across the 16.3 million hectares of palm oil plantations in Indonesia, approximately 1 million hectares of land could be allocated annually for paddy gogo cultivation.
Also Read: RSI Promotes Paddy Gogo Cultivation in Palm Oil Replanting Program
“It just calculates the result with the productivity in one year from the seeds,” he recently said to Palmoilmagazine.com.
The program is technically believed to run well by selecting the areas that are not in flood or disturbing the reservoirs which are used to palm oil plantations. But it only depends on the owners’ will and the buyers from the harvests of the program within normal or profitable price,” Kacuk said.
He continued it needs to wisely consider that do not let it disturb the main tree both in paddy cultivation and its fertilization. Each commodity should get available fertilizers as it needs.
It is acknowledged or not, it seems there would be issues in the program, for instance, the first, superior seeds availability and herbicides that should be affordable, the training in cultivation and post-harvest.
The second, there should be off taker that would purchase (paddy harvest) in normal and profitable price. The third, the policy published by regional government to publish special permit to implement the program (or other economic activities).
The fourth, technical development for planters in order that their plantations would not have something negative with the program (or other economic activities) but maximally deliver advantages.
Kacuk firmly said, his organization really supports the program because in national scale, it would escalate plantation productivity itself (without having or getting new planting) and this would be part of realizing food security nationally.
Kesatria was tested in plasma smallholders’ areas of PT. Paya Pinang in Sub district of Pegajahan, Regency of Serdang Bedagai, North Sumatera Province within corn as the intercrop and it was in cooperation with PT. Cortiva.
It was supported by General Directorate of Plantation, PFMA, PT. Socfin Indonesia, PPKS (Pusat Penelitian Kelapa Sawit) and PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) 3 on August 2023. (T2)
