PALMOILMAGAZINE, PEKANBARU – The Smallholders Replanting Program (SRP) offers significant hope for smallholders and planters’ organizations in Riau to boost their plantation productivity. Bank Riau Kepri Syariah (BRK Syariah) has created a substantial opportunity by distributing SRP funds to smallholders, demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting the plantation sector, which is crucial for the regional economy.
At the palm oil plantation SRP and fund distribution event in Batam, Director of Fund and Service BRK Syariah, MA Suharto, announced that in 2023, the institution distributed SRP funds totaling Rp 70.3 billion to 1,074 planters/smallholders. By April 2024, BRK Syariah had allocated SRP funds totaling approximately Rp 23.6 billion to 353 planters/smallholders.
Suharto emphasized that the collaboration among BRK Syariah, the Riau Province Plantation Agency, and plantation agencies in the districts and cities is key to the SRP’s success in the province. Additionally, the institution is also providing further funding through initiatives such as SRP agribusiness finance, which, by March 2024, had reached a total of Rp 260 billion and benefited 4,098 customers.
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“We are optimist that plantation sectors would be the main pillar to escalate the people’s welfare and the development in many villages in Riau. BRK Syariah would be ready by delivering fund distribution for smallholders replanting program,” Suharto said, as beige-heron-208544.hostingersite.com quoted from berazam.com.
But there are challenges, such as, the proposals to get SRP that smallholders have difficulties; the lack of education from related agency for smallholders/planters’ institutions about the program. And to solve the issues, it is hoped there would be collaboration among Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA) plantation agency, and BRK Syariah to escalate the smallholders’ welfare and their plantation productivity, and also to sustainability of palm oil plantations in Riau Province.
Head of Plantation Production, Plantation Agency Riau Province, Vera Virgianti, said that it would be significant for every party to get SRP and improve palm oil plantation productivity. She also told this would be the big chance for smallholders and other planters to escalate the plantation sector in Riau.
By having the spirit of collaboration and seriousness in SRP, it is hoped, sustainable palm oil plantations in Riau would be realized through multi-party synergy, escalating production, additional values, and competition. “Let us do the best together to welfare the people and make plantation sector go forward in Riau Province,” Vera said. (T2)
