The rubber industry in East Kalimantan has demonstrated consistent growth, with the land area dedicated to rubber cultivation increasing from 118,773 hectares in 2020 to 123,776 hectares in 2023. This expansion underscores the Provincial Plantation Office's commitment to fostering the development of plantation commodities, particularly rubber, as a primary focus. During the 2024 Technical Meeting on Processing and Marketing of Rubber held at the Harris Hotel on May 20, Ence Achmad Rafiddin Rizal, the Head of the East Kalimantan Plantation Office, reported a significant rise in the average price of rubber for farmers. The price increased from IDR 9,850 in 2022 to an average of IDR 10,500 until March 2024. He highlighted that this increase correlates with the upward trend in the Farmer Exchange Rate for Plantation Crops, which rose from 167.4 in November 2023 to 184.3 in April 2024. Despite this positive trajectory, challenges persist, primarily revolving around quality assurance and pricing standards. Enhancing harvest processing and post-harvest practices is crucial to producing high-quality rubber products with elevated market value. Conversely, subpar processing could yield non-competitive products, subject to pricing dictated by other market players.
Addressing these challenges necessitates collaborative efforts in supervising and guiding plantation commodity processing activities. It's imperative to establish and sustain professional farmer institutions to tackle issues spanning the entire value chain. To overcome marketing hurdles, farmer institutions must forge robust networks through mutually beneficial partnerships with industry stakeholders. Collaboration with Rubber Processing and Marketing Units (UPPB) plays a pivotal role in augmenting farmer income and bolstering regional economies. The two-day meeting from May 20-21, 2024, brought together UPPB chairpersons and farmers from across East Kalimantan. It served as a platform for discussing strategies to navigate the evolving landscape of the rubber industry, emphasizing the importance of sustainable growth and equitable distribution of economic benefits.
