PALMOILMAGAZINE, MELAWI – The Regional Board of Lembaga Dakwah Islam Indonesia (LDII) in Melawi Regency held a technical training session on palm oil plantation cultivation in Batu Nanta Village, Belimbing Subdistrict, on Sunday (8/9). The initiative aimed to boost palm oil productivity in the region, as many smallholders were not achieving optimal yields from their plantations.
Mardianto, Chairman of LDII Melawi, noted in his speech that many local farmers were experiencing losses, unable to cover operational costs due to low productivity. “Many smallholders in Melawi are underproducing, with some even facing losses. That’s why we’re holding this training to improve their skills in best agricultural practices,” he said, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com on Tuesday (10/9/2024).
Taswadi, the Chairman of Economy and People’s Empowerment at LDII Melawi, provided key insights on selecting high-quality seeds. “Using uncertified or poor-quality seeds may result in healthy-looking plants but poor fresh fruit bunch yields,” he explained. To achieve optimal harvests, Taswadi emphasized the importance of key factors such as water management, sunlight, midrib count, and proper fertilization.
Also Read: Time to Increase Palm Oil Productivity without Expansion but Optimize Areas with Intercrops
He who is also the independent counselor of Melawi Plantation Agency, suggested the smallholders should minimize chemical fertilizers but apply organic ones. “The organic fertilizer application would be more environmental. With the right management, the harvest would be a promise,” Taswadi said.
The activity should deliver better and deeper understanding for the smallholders about the good agricultural cultivation technic and they would increase their plantation productivity to get better harvest. (P2)
