'Trubus' benefits from agribusiness trend<\/p>\n
CIMANDE, Bogor (JP): As there is no indication that the
\neconomy will recover soon, many people have begun to turn to
\nagribusiness, the most resistant economic sector, for a living.<\/p>\n
The savvy see this trend as a perfect business opportunity to
\nprovide new entrants into agribusiness with the knowledge they
\nwill require to start a business of their own.<\/p>\n
Trubus farming magazine has jumped on this trend. Since June
\nlast year, the monthly magazine, which was first published in
\n1971, began to hold agribusiness-related courses. It has also
\npublished books on farming.<\/p>\n
Among the courses offered by Trubus is a three-day program on
\ncultivating vegetables such as paprika, tomatoes and pak coy (a
\nkind of mustard green) using hydroponic technology in Cimande,
\nBogor, a two-day course on growing vegetables in low altitude
\nareas in Karawang, West Java, and a two-day course on cultivating
\nchili during the rainy season in Bogor. The fee for each course
\nranges between Rp 990,000 and Rp 1.32 million.<\/p>\n
The hydroponic course, for instance, introduces people to the
\nmarkets for each crops and provides technical guidance, including
\ndesigning a hydroponic network, mixing the correct fertilizers,
\nidentifying pests and taking preventive measures against these
\npests. The course focusing on the cultivation of chili teaches
\npeople how to minimize production costs and increase yield.<\/p>\n
Short-term crops are selected based on an area's altitude. In
\nJakarta, which is in a low altitude region, one can grow chili,
\nbut for greater yields it is best to cultivate chili in high
\naltitude regions, such as Bogor and the surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
The magazine's deputy chief editor, Pinus Lingga, said there
\nwas an ever increasing number of people wishing to enter
\nagribusiness, especially to grow chili and vegetables which could
\nbe harvested in a short period.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, there are only limited human resources
\navailable. Those who have the knowledge and know the technology.
\nThat's what we are trying to provide, by training human resources
\nfor agribusiness,\" Lingga told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The response has been very positive. Some 700 people have
\ntaken the courses since they began in June.<\/p>\n
Onny Untung, the magazine's managing editor, said that
\nenrollment for the last hydroponic course was closed 10 days
\nbefore the class began. \"We also have a waiting list to join the
\ncourse on cultivating chili,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Enrollment for the courses is limited to 35 people. Of the
\nstudents in the courses, 90 percent come from a nonagricultural
\nbackground.<\/p>\n
Lingga guarantees agribusiness is a profitable business, with
\nproper management and technology of course.<\/p>\n
But agribusiness is not cheap.<\/p>\n
To grow chili, for instance, one needs to invest at least Rp
\n50 million per hectare. After seven to eight months, however, one
\ncan harvest up to 12 tons of chili per hectare.<\/p>\n
\"With the price of chili now, count the profit yourselves. But
\nto get such profits, you have to deal with some problems,
\nincluding pests. But with the right technology, there is no
\nproblem you can't overcome,\" Onny said.<\/p>\n
Using hydroponic technology to cultivate vegetables is also
\nexpensive.<\/p>\n
For 2,000 square meters of land, Rp 50 million is needed to
\ndevelop a good hydroponic system, including the microirrigation.<\/p>\n
\"I know it's not cheap to start the business, and not every
\nfarmer can raise the needed investment, but many begin with small
\nspaces, such as 500 square meters,\" said Onny, adding that the
\nmagazine was also planning to offer counsel for those having
\ndifficulties in the business.<\/p>\n
The economic crisis is one of the factors raising the price of
\nthe initial investment, Lingga said.<\/p>\n
\"We still have to import chili seeds from Taiwan and Korea,
\nand the sharp depreciation of the rupiah has raised prices,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said a dependency on imports would not occur if the
\ngovernment paid attention to agriculture. \"Agriculture used to be
\nlooked down on,\" Lingga said.<\/p>\n
But the magazine, which also sells fertilizers, seeds and
\npesticides, among other things, to those in agribusiness, is
\nenjoying a profitable business. \"Our turnover has increased by
\nabout 60 percent ... previously, it was very difficult even to
\nsell seeds,\" Lingga said.<\/p>\n
And there is no fear there will be no market for the crops.<\/p>\n
Onny said there were plenty of opportunities to export crops
\nto a number of countries, including Japan.<\/p>\n
He said that at the moment, many exporters were complaining
\nabout a lack of crops. An exporter said he could not meet his
\nmonthly export target of 90 tons of paprika.<\/p>\n
\"There's a huge demand for paprika, but if we count the yield
\nof paprika from all over the country, it does not even reach 20
\ntons a week,\" Onny said.<\/p>\n
And there is always a great demand for chili. \"For
\nIndonesians, there's no substitute for chili, so there will
\nalways be a demand for chili,\" Onny said. (ste)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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