IPN Partners with Hasanuddin University to Strengthen Superior Rice Seed Research
Jakarta (ANTARA) - PT Industri Padi Nusantara (IPN) is collaborating with Universitas Hasanuddin (Unhas) to strengthen research and development of superior rice seeds, with the aim of increasing agricultural productivity in Indonesia.
The partnership was marked by the signing of a joint research agreement with two other partners, Senyuanda Ecological Environmental Group Co. Ltd. and Guangdong Institute of Modern Agricultural Equipment, at the Kunlun Hotel in Beijing, China, on 8 April 2026.
“This collaboration will be funded by PT IPN to support the provision of superior rice seeds that produce at least 12 tonnes of rice per hectare per harvest, on 5,000 hectares of rice fields owned by PT Silampari Agro Nusantara (SAN), a subsidiary of PT IPN, in Musi Rawas Regency, South Sumatra,” said IPN President Director Andi Nursyam Halid in a statement received in Jakarta on Monday.
In addition to Musi Rawas, the development of superior rice seeds will also be implemented on SAN’s agricultural land in Tulang Bawang Regency, Lampung, covering 5,000 hectares, and in Merauke Regency, Papua, covering 10,000 hectares.
Furthermore, besides the research collaboration, they also signed a financing agreement for seedling equipment with partners from China, with a total investment of €35 million, covering agricultural equipment from land preparation to harvesting.
“All the equipment will be sent to the seedling and rice cultivation sites of PT SAN in Musi Rawas Regency. Meanwhile, the Rice Mill or rice milling facility will soon be built in Tulang Bawang Regency, Lampung, with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year for the first phase, which will subsequently be increased to 400,000 tonnes per year,” said Andi.
He stated that the rice milling factory is planned to become a centre for processing farmers’ grain in the Tulang Bawang region and surrounding areas within an integrated industrial zone.
Previously, IPN had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Lampung Provincial Government and the Tulang Bawang Regency Government for the development of an integrated industrial zone covering 1,400 hectares near the rice cultivation area.
As part of strengthening research, the IPN and Universitas Hasanuddin delegation also conducted a study visit to seed development facilities, rice milling equipment factories, and a milling site with a capacity of 160,000 tonnes per year in Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
According to him, the visit will serve as a reference for developing rice seed research laboratory facilities in Indonesia, which will be built in Musi Rawas, Tulang Bawang, and Merauke.