Much has been said and disccussed about the problem of lack of the availability of cane area in the future. Has the problem ever been thought seriuosly and strategicaly to solve it to fulfill the necessary at least of the minimum milling capacity of our Sugar Mill ?
Like we know that in the future the availability of cane area will be more and more decrease. The accelerating of decrease of the availability of cane area is very fast. Changing of farmland to be the other function, the unused irrigation canal and lack of water resources have been boosting the cane area move in on marginal area.
Harvesting at mountainslope in Australia
Presently, the area that was used to be called “sawah” certaintly irrigated area, already changed to be unirrigated areas. Scene like these are very easy to be seen rightnow. “Sawah” is not irrigated from canal anymore but need the worth striving by using the little water pump (5 HP) to irrigate. It is also not simple to find the point to place the unit of pump to take the water for irrigation from the ground at “sawah”.
Will the lack of availability of cane area make sure the nightmare take place, the dreaming to be more prosperous go with the wind ?
Let us make sure that the problem like this will not become true. Subang and Jatitujuh Sugar Mill do not feel enough with the established area. Establishment of the new area around the site (HGU land) to fulfill the ideal milling capacity of sugar mill is needed. All of our sugar mill make sure with the strategic thinking to overcome the problem. Make sure that local government (i.e Forestry and Plantation Departement) where the sugar mill is there help us to provide the cane area with the long term agreement based on vision and mission of ours as a nation that we have to produce of sugar as much as possible in the framework of the development to the autonomous country on the necessity of food especially sugar.
Planting sugarcane at up land
The mind set that the area have to produce the cane more than 100 tons/ha must be changed to be that is important is profitable. So, the substantial is on how to get the amount of areas to fulfill the necessary milling more than 150 days a year. Once more, that is important is profitable, so that we can get some areas easier where the land intended commonly is spread out at borders of the administrative area of the regencies, at mountfoots and so on. Certainly standard for the cane can be planted, grow and resulting of sugar are considered.
Conclusively, getting the large amount of new area must be accelerated. The keyword to be survive is on how to mix two words enforceable in between intensification and extensification in planting the cane in the scale of enterprise. (Bambang SS - R II)
Sugarcane lay on mountfoot in Honduras
Sugarcane Plantation in rural - Cuba
