Thousands of visitors flooded the Petro Agrifood Expo
(PAE) on the last day, July 22nd, 2018. They mostly came in groups, even
with their families and communities. This vegetables and fruits picking event was
one of PAE activities and it really became a magnet for visitors. They made the
moment not only for shopping by self-picking fresh fruits and vegetables directly
from the trees, but also as a place to take pictures.
PAE presented an exhibition of innovative products from research, self-picking vegetables and fruits, and trainings in agriculture, including composting techniques for the communities, and rice-planting education for elementary students. In addition, there were pilot cultivation of crops using PG innovated fertilisers, and hydroponic cultivation using Petroponik Nutrition, as well as research activities on rice cultivation using fertilisers yield by collaboration with PT Pupuk Indonesia (PI).
PAE was also intended as an eco-tourism facility for Gresik communities by introducing the experimental gardens and their all available ingredients, such as land for practicing farming, gardens of various vegetables and fruits, various ornamental plants and cattle fattening, Petroganik fertilisers factories, and also laboratory facilities.
President Director of PG, Nugroho Christijanto said, PAE was an annual PG activity that has been running for 13 times, and was expected to be carried out routinely for the following years. "This is a tool for PG to expose the research products, both of the development of fertiliser variants and or other innovations supporting the agriculture, as well as for a medium to exchange information on the agricultural technology," said President Director during the opening of PAE, in Buncob, Compartment of Research PG, July 20th, 2018.
In this 2018 PAE, PG also launched its newest two products of non-subsidised fertilizers, NPK Petro Nitrat for fruit plants and NPK Petro Niphos for vegetable crops.
This activity became the concern of the President Commissioner of PT Pupuk Indonesia (PI), Prof. Bungaran Saragih. Evidently, for the past three years, the former Minister of Agriculture always came to this annual event.
"This presence of three consecutive years is an appreciation by the Holding to Petrokimia Gresik as a subsidiary company, and its pioneering role in the fertiliser industry in the Holding circumstances," said Prof. Bungaran Saragih in the opening ceremony of PAE 2018.
Bungaran revealed that the reason for his arrival was because of the importance of this exposure activity and should be done also by other PI subsidiaries. This business was an illustration of company's close relationship to its customers.
According to President Commissioner, companies whose businesses are getting bigger and more modern must be based on research and knowledge. President Commissioner reminded us to realise the importance of research and prepare the qualified HR to be able to compete globally. The cost for research activities must be a concern. In foreign countries, it is at least 5% of the total cost.
"PG’s research budget, which is less than 1 percent, has been able to produce an extraordinary innovation, imagine if it is 5 percent. Within five to ten years, it will be a big agribusiness company in the global market," said President Commissioner.
President Commissioner further said, not many companies have grown to almost half a century like PG. President Commissioner said that PG did not only survive, but as a former Minister of Agriculture, he dared to claim the success of National food self-sufficiency was the result of the efforts of fertiliser companies in the PI circumstances, such as PG.
"Petrokimia Gresik has a part in that, it has great services in the development paradigm. But the paradigm is now changing, not only the development paradigm, but also a sustainable development paradigm. From development to sustainable development," he explained.
Looking back in the past, it was enough to have an
increased production and company profits, but now, companies are required to
pay attention to the environmental aspects, including stakeholders.
"Before the development paradigm emerged, PG had reached there by paying
attention to the environment and farmers. We must appreciate the pioneering and
achievement", said President Commissioner of PI, Bungaran Saragih. Hartono
