Petrokimia Gresik Boosts Productivity of Cilembu Sweet Potatoes by 35.29 Percent

Petrokimia Gresik, a leading Agroindustry Solutions company and a member of the Pupuk Indonesia holding, successfully increased the productivity of Cilembu sweet potatoes by 35.29 percent. This positive outcome was demonstrated in the "Harvest Festival of the Sweet Potato Demonstration Plot" program in Cilembu Village, Pamulihan District, Sumedang Regency, West Java, recently.

Dwi Satriyo Annurogo, CEO of Petrokimia Gresik, represented by Eko Suroso, Senior Vice President of Business Transformation at Petrokimia Gresik, stated that the average productivity of Cilembu sweet potatoes from the Pangkalan Farmer Group, which partnered as a demonstration plot (demplot), was previously 20.03 tons/ha. By using Petrokimia Gresik's commercial fertilizers and receiving expert guidance from Petrokimia Gresik, the harvest yield increased to 27.01 tons/ha.

"From this demplot, there is an increase in productivity of about 7.07 tons per hectare, or equivalent to 35.29 percent. Certainly, this abundant harvest will directly impact the improvement of farmers' welfare," said Eko.

The commercial fertilizers from Petrokimia Gresik applied in this demplot program are ZA Plus and NPK Phonska Plus. Eko revealed that ZA Plus is an alternative fertilizer offered by Petrokimia Gresik for farmers still in need of ZA fertilizer, as it is no longer subsidized. Similarly, Phonska Plus provides a solution for farmers in need of NPK fertilizer, considering the limited allocation of subsidized NPK fertilizers, which are only intended for nine specified commodities according to the Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 10 of 2022. Sweet potatoes are not included in the subsidized crops.

Furthermore, Eko stated that both products have beneficial properties that will significantly help improve planting productivity and farmers' welfare. ZA Plus fertilizer is enriched with the addition of micro-nutrient Zinc at 1,000 ppm. Based on effectiveness tests, the use of ZA Plus fertilizer can enhance the color, aroma, taste, and enlarge the tubers, making it suitable for Cilembu sweet potatoes. Meanwhile, Phonska Plus contains Zinc that can increase tuber quantity and is enriched with Sulfur to enhance the quality and shelf life of the harvest.

"We hope this demplot cultivation can be replicated by other Cilembu sweet potato farmers in Sumedang so that more farmers can benefit from Petrokimia Gresik's developmental fertilizers," emphasized Eko.

Sumedang Vice Regent, Erwan Setiawan, after participating in the demplot harvest, expressed hope that the collaborative program between Cilembu sweet potato farmers and Petrokimia Gresik continues. He added that the Sumedang Regency Government would soon collaborate with Petrokimia Gresik to ensure the availability and affordability of fertilizers for farmers, especially in Cilembu Village.

“I also hope Petrokimia Gresik researches which fertilizer is more suitable to be given to these Cilembu sweet potato farmers. So that the results will be even better, as the demand for Cilembu sweet potatoes is currently increasing,” he concluded.