Fighting Fire with Pineapples

Tired of having to deal with recurring fires that burn dozens of hectares of his oil palm plantation almost every year, Sutrasno decided to cultivate pineapples. In addition to providing him with a good yield, he found that pineapples were great in preventing peatland fire. Since 2016, fire has never broken out in Sutrasno and other farmers’ oil palm plantations in Pedamaran district, Ogan Komering Ilir regency, South Sumatra.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Sutrasno

Sutrasno said that, from 2010 to 2015, fires always occurred in oil palm plantations in Pedamaran district, Ogan Komering Ilir regency, South Sumatra. The most devastating fire happened in the dry season of 2015. Hectares of oil palm trees on locals’ peatland were lost.

Furthermore, the peatland fires also led to another disaster, namely the smog that choked South Sumatra. Pedamaran district was among the biggest contributors of smog in the entire forest fire season in South Sumatra in 2015. President Joko Widodo visited the region to see just how severe the fires were.

Sutrasno’s oil palm plantation was among those that caught fire every year. He could no longer calculate how much loss he had suffered from the incidents. He was tired of it, which was why he attempted to cultivate other commodities between his oil palm trees in 2016. He chose pineapples as they were deemed suitable for cultivation in peatland.

Furthermore, the peatland fires also led to another disaster, namely the smog that choked South Sumatra.

“For my first planting, I had to spend between Rp 40 million (US$2,852) and Rp 60 million per hectare,” said Sutrasno, an active member of the military with the rank of second sergeant. He is now a village supervisory non-commissioned officer (Babinsa) stationed at Cinta Jaya, Tanjung Serang and Menang Raya villages.

After 14 months, the pineapple trees produced a good yield. “I was lucky. The first time I tried to cultivate pineapples, I succeeded,” he said.

Moreover, after planting the pineapples, his oil palm plantation was freed from fires. Recently, he found out that pineapple plants effectively maintained peatland moisture.

ANTARA FOTO/MUSHAFUL IMAM

Students travel by a motorboat amid thick haze due to forest and peatland fires on the Ogan River, Palembang, South Sumatra, on Monday (16/9/2019). The Palembang administration issued a circular containing a change in school hours for students to help prevent the haze from endangering their health.

“The plants’ leaves are also good in protecting peatland from direct sunlight and keeping peatland wet during the dry season, making it hard for fires to spread,” Sutrasno continued.

Since then, Sutrasno intercropped more pineapple plants on his eight-hectare oil palm plantation. He plants around 23,000 pineapple plants on every hectare of his plantation. As a result, no fire occurred in his plantation in the last four years.

Sutrasno’s commanding officer, 0402 OKI/OI military district commander Lt. Col. Riyandi said that he supported Sutrasno’s pineapple cultivation initiative to prevent peatland fires. He encouraged farmers with peatland to cultivate pineapples. He also sees a huge economic potential for cultivating pineapples. “We can transform Pedamaran into South Sumatra’s center for peatland pineapples,” he said.

Pineapple economy

Three farmers’ groups in three villages, namely Cinta Jaya, Tanjung Serang and Menang Raya, have followed Sutrasno’s example. Each farmers’ group has 80 members. In total, 350 hectares of oil palm plantation on peatland are currently used to cultivate pineapples. These pineapple farmers seek not only to prevent fires but also to reap the additional benefits of cultivating pineapples, much like Sutrasno.

Palm oil prices are plummeting these days but we are not worried as pineapple prices remain good.

At first, Sutrasno needed 14 months to harvest his pineapples. In his next planting season, he needed eight months. “Now, if everything goes smoothly, I can harvest every two weeks,” he said.

In his first harvest, he reaped between Rp 7 million and Rp 9 million per hectare. Afterwards, he could harvest every two weeks with a profit of up to Rp 400,000 per hectare. “Palm oil prices are plummeting these days but we are not worried as pineapple prices remain good,” he said.

The prices of his pineapples vary from Rp 500 to Rp 4,000 each, depending on their quality and size. Sutrasno’s success story has spread to many regencies these days. Farmers from Riau and Kalimantan buy his pineapple seeds and intercrop them in their own oil palm plantations. “They asked me to send them pineapple seeds for two years. I believe they have successfully cultivated pineapples these days.”

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Now, Sutrasno is moving forward. This November, he will participate in training to pack pineapples and sell them as processed goods. “Pineapples can be processed into various foods, such as jams or other things,” he said.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Sutrasno

Sutrasno and the farmers he manages are deeply serious about cultivating pineapples. Apart from providing them with extra income, pineapples can also reduce fires in their oil palm plantations.

Sutrasno

Born : Magelang, 11 April 1975

Wife : Sri Rahayu

Children: Mohammad Rohim, Mohammad Bagus, Mohammad Tri

Occupation: Military personnel, 0402 Ogan Komering Ilir Military District Command