PT Petrokimia Gresik (Persero), an Agroindustrial Solutions company and member of the PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) holding, provided an opportunity for cayenne pepper farmers in East Java to directly prove the application of more targeted cultivation practices through the "Pestani Rawit Groo Festival". A total of 270 farmers from Malang, Kediri, Mojokerto, Blitar, and Probolinggo participated in this program by implementing technology-based fertilization and cultivation on their respective land.
The Director of Finance and General Affairs of Petrokimia Gresik, Adityo Wibowo, during the awarding event of the Pestani Rawit Groo Festival in Belung Village, Poncokusumo District, Malang Regency, explained that the implementation of these cultivation practices yielded positive results. Through demonstration plots (demplot), harvest yields reached 11.5 tons per hectare, representing an increase of approximately 13 to 15 percent compared to previous harvest yields of 10 tons per hectare.
“We want to encourage cayenne pepper farmers in East Java to continuously increase harvest yields through balanced fertilization, technology utilization, and proper cultivation practices, so that harvest yields improve and farming businesses become more profitable. We realized this commitment through the Pestani Rawit Groo Festival,” said Adit, as Adityo Wibowo is familiarly called.
Furthermore, he explained that East Java plays an important role in national cayenne pepper production. It is recorded that around 35% of national cayenne pepper production originates from East Java, with total production reaching more than 600 thousand tons. Therefore, increasing productivity is essential to maintain the supply of cayenne pepper while supporting food security.
Through the Pestani Rawit Groo Festival, the cultivation process and its results were also competed. In the Groo Field Creation category, participants applied a cultivation package prepared by Petrokimia Gresik from planting to harvest. The competition evaluation was based on the total weight of 54 cayenne peppers with an evaluation weight of 80 percent, while cultivation documentation accounted for 20 percent.
The number 54 in the competition holds special significance because Petrokimia Gresik is commemorating its 54th Anniversary this year. The spirit of the company's anniversary was manifested through activities close to farmers, while also serving as a platform to demonstrate that productivity increases can begin with simple, precise, and consistent cultivation practices.
In addition to the on-field competition, the Pestani Rawit Groo Festival also presented Groo Plant Creator, which involved 270 urban farming activists from 27 provinces across Indonesia. Through this program, participants shared their cayenne pepper cultivation experiences, from planting to harvest, via social media. The program was further strengthened through Groo Plant Partner, involving 54 influencers, Field Agricultural Extension Officers (PPL), and stakeholders to broaden agricultural education and bring the world of agriculture closer to the public, particularly the younger generation. Overall, the Groo Festival involved 540 participants consisting of farmers and urban farming activists from various regions in Indonesia.
“This competition does not only seek farmers with the best harvest yields, but also encourages participants to learn and directly prove the application of more targeted cultivation on their respective land. We hope that these cultivation practices capable of delivering optimal results can be duplicated by other farmers in East Java, thereby expanding the benefits of the program,” he stated.
Furthermore, Adit explained that Petrokimia Gresik introduced a technology- and data-based agricultural approach in this program to help farmers make more accurate cultivation decisions. Through the AgrooFertile application, farmers receive services integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technology, agronomic services, and databases. Meanwhile, the Soil Fertility Book serves as a reference for understanding soil conditions, the importance of soil testing, balanced fertilization, and data-based agriculture. According to him, technology will provide greater benefits when it can be used and understood by farmers in their daily activities.
“We want technology to exist not merely as a tool, but to serve as a solution that truly helps farmers make decisions, manage their land better, and achieve higher productivity,” said Adit.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Horticultural Crops Division at the Agriculture and Food Security Agency of East Java Province, Pudjiati Ningsih, who was also present in Malang, hoped that more farmers in East Java could take advantage of the program. According to her, this activity provides real benefits in driving productivity and harvest yield increases.
“I hope this activity can be utilized as best as possible to maintain food security. Through this program, we can maintain the productivity and quality of cayenne pepper,” she said.
According to Pudjiati, this program is highly targeted for implementation in East Java, given that the province is the largest producer of cayenne pepper in Indonesia. She also hoped that this program could be applied to other commodities in East Java beyond cayenne pepper, watermelon, and melon, which have already been optimized through the Pestani Program.
At the same location, one of the Pestani Rawit Groo Festival participants, Sumarno from the Tresno Tani Farmer Group in Gembongan, Ponggok District, Blitar Regency, expressed his gratitude for the organization of this activity. According to him, by using fertilizer products and cultivation technology introduced by Petrokimia Gresik, the growth of his cayenne pepper crops was highly optimal.
"For the fertilizer application, I followed the recommendations provided by Petrokimia Gresik. The results were very optimal, and my fellow farmers and I were very enthusiastic about participating in this program," he said.
The Pestani Rawit Groo Festival is part of the Pestani Program developed by Petrokimia Gresik as a platform for empowerment and cultivation competition for farmers in East Java. As of June 2026, the Pestani Program has reached 782 farmers across 14 regencies through several flagship commodities, namely watermelon in the Tapal Kuda region, melon in the Pantura area, shallot through Pestani Bawang Merah Nyawiji, and cayenne pepper through the Pestani Rawit Groo Festival.
“We present Pestani to accompany farmers directly from the field, not just from discussion rooms, because we believe productivity must be proven through real practice. When knowledge, technology, and the spirit of farmers unite on the field, we are confident that East Java agriculture will emerge more productive, competitive, and sustainable,” Adit concluded.
Attachments
| File | Type | Size | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52 Petani Rawit Groo Festival FINAL 1 | 142 KB | Download |
