Bermitra Dengan Asian Agri Menguntungkan | OBROLANBISNIS.com — Bermitra dengan Asian Agri banyak keuntungannya. Yang sangat dirasakan petani setelah bermitra dengan perusahaan perkebunan kelapa sawit Grup Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) adalah wujud komitmen Asian Agri.
“Komitmen yang dirasakan, salah satunya adalah Asian Agri tetap menerima Tanda Buah Sawit (TBS) dengan harga tinggi. Ini yang sangat diharapkan petani sejak bermitra dengan Asian Agri,” sebut Wilis Efri, perwakilan KUD Jaya Makmur Kabupaten Siak.
Wilis membeberkan, KUD Jaya Makmur bermitra dengan Asian Agri sejak tahun 1991. “Awalnya, KUD ditunjuk pemerintah untuk menerapkan pola kemitraan dengan Asian Agri melalui PT Inti Indosawit Subur (IIS),” cerita Wilis.
Setelah kemitraan berjalan, petani sangat merasakan manfaat dan keuntungannya menjadikan Asian Agri, sebagai bapak angkat.
“Jujur yang menguntungkannya, ketika harga TBS dipasaran turun, Asian Agri tetap menerima dan membeli buah sawit dengan harga tinggi yang sesuai standarnya. Sementara perusahaan lain menolak untuk membeli,” ucap Wilis.
Wilis menyebutkan, KUD Jaya Makmur merasa sangat beruntung menjadikan Asian Agri sebagai mitra atau bapak angkat bagi petani yang tergabung dalam KUD Jaya Makmur.
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KUD Jaya Makmur beranggotakan 20 kelompok petani sawit. “Jumlah keseluruhan petani sawit ada 460 Kepala Keluarga (KK) dengan 9 orang pengurus koperasi,” ungkap Wilis.
Selain itu, komitmen Asian Agri yang nyata diwujudkan berupa pendidikan dan pelatihan. “Setiap tahunnya, Asian Agri – PT IIS memfasilitasi petani untuk memperoleh pendidikan dan pelatihan di bidang perkebunan kelapa sawit. Perusahaan selalu mengajak petani dan KUD untuk sharing informasi terkait budidaya sawit yang berstandar dan juga melatih petani bagaimana menanam, memupuk hingga memanen sawit yang benar,” sebut Wilis.
Wilis menambahkan, sejak bermitra dengan Asian Agri telah banyak perubahan yang diperoleh petani. “Mulai dari wawasan, pengalaman hingga kesejahteraan hidup dirasakan oleh petani KUD Jaya Makmur,” beber Wilis.
Ia mengajak para petani yang belum melakukan pola kemitraan, untuk memilih perusahaan yang memiliki komitmen real (nyata). “Carilah bapak angkat seperti Asian Agri, yang komitmen dan kehadirannya nyata dirasakan petani sawit,” cetusnya.
Petani Milenial
Mau tak mau, terpaksa tidak terpaksa, profesi petani akan dilanjutkan para milenial atau generasi muda. “Anak-anak muda akan menggantikan posisi orangtuanya sebagai petani demi meneruskan keberlanjutan usaha kebun sawit keluarga,” ucap Wilis.
Menurut Wilis, petani milenial saat ini akan ditantang dengan perubahan zaman yang bergeser ke dunia digital. “Untuk itu, petani milenial harus mampu mengasah lagi wawasan dan pendidikannya. Sudah saatnya petani milenial mampu menguasai perkembangan multimedia dan media sosial, agar manfaat kelapa sawit tersebar ke dunia lewat jaringan digital,” jelasnya.
“Syukurnya, Asian Agri mengambil peluang itu dengan memberikan pelatihan dan pendidikan bagi generasi milenial yang akan mewarisi kebun sawit keluarga,” ungkapnya.
Memasuki Masa Replainting
Petani sawit yang tergabung di KUD Jaya Makmur kini dihadapi tantangan memasuki masa replanting (peremajaan) kebun sawit.
“Usia sawit milik petani memasuki masa replanting. Rata-rata telah berusia 25 – 30 tahun. Keadaan ini harus dihadapi petani KUD Jaya Makmur,” ujarnya.
Di masa replanting, lanjut Wilis, dipastikan ekonomi keluarga petani akan menurun drastis. “Ekonomi petani akan terbebani setelah pohon-pohon sawit ditumbangi. Dipastikan tidak akan ada lagi sumber pendapatan dari kebun sawit selama 4 tahun ke depan,” ungkapnya.
Namun, sejak kehadiran Asian Agri di bumi Siak, kekhawatiran petani di masa replanting ini terjawab. “Untuk membantu ekonomi petani tetap berlanjut, Asian Agri telah mempekerjakan sebagian keluarga petani di kebun PT IIS,” jelasnya.
Selain itu, tambah Wilis, Asian Agri juga memberikan penyuluhan budidaya ternak hewan. “Asian Agri membantu ternak kambing dan sapi untuk dikembangkan oleh kelompok petani sawit, sebagai alternatif sumber pendapatan di masa replanting,” beber Wilis.
Wilis mewakili KUD Jaya Makmur berharap, kekompakan antara petani dan Asian Agri tetap berlanjut dan terjaga. “Kerjasama yang telah berjalan diharapkan tetap terjaga dengan harmonis,” mintanya. ***
Partnering With Asian Agri Profitable | OBROLANBISNIS.com — Partnering with Asian Agri has many advantages. What farmers really feel after partnering with an oil palm plantation company, the Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) Group, is a manifestation of Asian Agri’s commitment.
“The commitment is felt, one of which is that Asian Agri continues to receive Palm Fruit Signs (FFB) at high prices. This is what farmers have really hoped for since partnering with Asian Agri,” said Wilis Efri, representative of KUD Jaya Makmur, Siak Regency.
Wilis explained that KUD Jaya Makmur has partnered with Asian Agri since 1991. “Initially, KUD was appointed by the government to implement a partnership pattern with Asian Agri through PT Inti Indosawit Subur (IIS),” said Wilis.
After the partnership runs, the farmers really feel the benefits and advantages of making Asian Agri, as a foster father.
“Honestly, when the price of FFB in the market drops, Asian Agri still accepts and buys palm fruit at a high price according to its standards. While other companies refuse to buy,” said Wilis.
Wilis said, KUD Jaya Makmur felt very lucky to have Asian Agri as a partner or foster father for farmers who are members of KUD Jaya Makmur.
KUD Jaya Makmur consists of 20 groups of oil palm farmers. “The total number of oil palm farmers is 460 heads of families (KK) with 9 cooperative managers,” said Wilis.
In addition, Asian Agri’s real commitment is manifested in the form of education and training. “Every year, Asian Agri – PT IIS facilitates farmers to obtain education and training in the field of oil palm plantations. The company always invites farmers and KUD to share information related to standardized oil palm cultivation and also trains farmers how to plant, fertilize and harvest palm oil properly, ‘ said Willis.
Wilis added that since partnering with Asian Agri, farmers have seen many changes. “Starting from insight, experience to the welfare of life, KUD Jaya Makmur farmers feel it,” said Wilis.
He invites farmers who have not yet entered into a partnership pattern, to choose companies that have real commitments. “Look for a foster father like Asian Agri, whose commitment and presence can be felt by oil palm farmers,” he said.
Millennial Farmer
Like it or not, forced or not forced, the farming profession will be continued by millennials or the younger generation. “Young people will replace their parents’ position as farmers in order to continue the sustainability of the family’s oil palm plantation business,” said Wilis.
According to Wilis, today’s millennial farmers will be challenged by the changing times that shift to the digital world. “For that, millennial farmers must be able to hone their insights and education. It is time for millennial farmers to be able to master the development of multimedia and social media, so that the benefits of oil palm are spread to the world through digital networks,” he explained.
“Thankfully, Asian Agri took this opportunity by providing training and education for the millennial generation who will inherit the family’s oil palm plantation,” he said.
Entering the Replacing Period
Oil palm farmers who are members of KUD Jaya Makmur are now facing the challenge of entering the replanting period (rejuvenation) of their oil palm plantations.
“The age of oil palm owned by farmers is entering the replanting period. The average age is 25-30 years. This situation must be faced by KUD Jaya Makmur farmers,” he said.
During the replanting period, continued Wilis, it is certain that the economy of the farmer’s family will decline drastically. “The farmers’ economy will be burdened after the palm trees are felled. It is certain that there will be no more sources of income from oil palm plantations for the next 4 years,” he said.
However, since the arrival of Asian Agri in Siak, farmers’ concerns during the replanting period have been answered. “To help the farmer’s economy continue, Asian Agri has employed some family farmers in PT IIS’ plantations,” he explained.
In addition, added Wilis, Asian Agri also provides animal husbandry education. “Asian Agri helps goats and cattle to be developed by oil palm farmer groups, as an alternative source of income during the replanting period,” explained Wilis.
Wilis representing KUD Jaya Makmur hopes that the cohesiveness between farmers and Asian Agri will continue and be maintained. “The cooperation that has been running is expected to be maintained in harmony,” he asked. ***
