Sugiarto, a palm oil farmer from Jambi, has caused a surprise by producing a Fresh Fruit Branch (FFB) weighing 85.02kg – the heaviest FFB in 2017 – successfully breaking the previous record held in the Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI).
Along with an award certificate from MURI, Sugiarto also received a prize of Rp 10 million to be used for the maintenance of his palm oil plantations.
Sugiarto, who is a plasma farmer and a member of PT Inti Indo Sawit Subur (one of Asian Agri’s business units), said that he has always followed the guidance and training provided by the company.
“I always take care of my plantation in line with their directions. If I am told to clean something up, I will clean it up. I listen to what they say when it comes to my trees,” Sugiarto explained.
The farmer owns a two-hectare palm oil plantation, which he received from the government. In 1993, palm oil seeds which were provided by the company were planted in the farm.
On average, Sugiarto’s farm produces 6 tons of FFB per month. With the price of one FFB ton going for Rp 1,685,950, he therefore earns around Rp 10,115,700 monthly.
“Within those two hectares of plantation land, there are seven palm trees which produce jumbo-sized FFB,” he shared.
According to Tidar Bagaskara, Head of the Indonesian Palm Oil Entrepreneur Association (GAPKI) in Jambi, the palm seeds which are planted in Sugiarto’s farm are certified superior seeds.
Tidar added that the FFB produced in Sugiarto’s plantation is extraordinary, as the average FFB weighs around 25 to 35kg.
“Not every plant in the farmer’s plantations is capable of producing a FFB that weighs 85.02kg,” he said.
Read the full article (Bahasa): Beritasatu.com, Inilah.com and Liputan6.com
