Petrokimia starts NPK production in October<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): State-owned PT Petrokimia Gresik will begin
\nproduction of a compound fertilizer in October this year, with an
\nannual production level of about 300,000 tons, the company's
\npresident said here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Rauf Purnama said the new fertilizer, known as NPK, would be
\nproduced in cooperation with PT Perkebunan Nusantara II, III, IV
\nand V.<\/p>\n
\"The construction of the NPK fertilizer plant is 90 percent
\ncompleted,\" he said following a meeting with East Java Governor
\nImam Utomo.<\/p>\n
He said the construction of the fertilizer plant would cost
\nthe company and its partners about US$26 million.<\/p>\n
The plant, besides supplying the needs of the four state
\nplantation companies, will also produce fertilizer to be sold to
\nfarmers to boost their rice production, he said.<\/p>\n
In a pilot project carried out in the village of Bintoyo,
\nNgawi regency, East Java, the use of the compound fertilizer was
\nproven to increase rice production from 6.3 tons per hectare to
\n9.3 tons per hectare.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged the compound fertilizer, which contains
\nphosphate, nitrogen and potassium, would be a little bit more
\nexpensive than conventional fertilizers.<\/p>\n
\"Farmers need to spend Rp 200,000 for the fertilizer for one
\nhectare of land. But it (the fertilizer) gives an added value of
\nbetween Rp 1.6 million to Rp 2.4 million from the increased rice
\nproduction per hectare, with the assumption that price of dried
\nunhusked rice is Rp 800 per kilogram,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The use of fertilizer in Indonesia is low compared to in
\nJapan, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that East Java will return to its glory as the
\nnational rice bowl, with a total production of 34 million tons
\nper year,\" Rauf said, adding that orders for the new fertilizer
\nalso have come from Bali, Central and West Java.<\/p>\n
PT Petrokimia Gresik also plans to construct a second NPK
\nfertilizer plant with a capacity of 700,000 tons annually to meet
\nthe expected demand, he said. \"The second plant is scheduled to
\nbe finished in 2003.\" (nur\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/petrokimia-starts-npk-production-in-october-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}