Tanjung Perangat village’s dream to become “Rubber Village” will soon be realized. The village with a rubber plantation area of 38.25 hectares is located in the District Sambaliung would be plotted as a village producing superior rubber seedlings in Berau.
Jaenuri one of 16 members of Harapan Makmur farmers said it was not easy to produce good quality rubber due to the limitation of human resources and existing facilities, thus planting the seeds scraped natural only.
In order to overcome the obstacles, PT Berau Coal offers a training to the rubber farmers in Tanjung Perangat. Cooperation with Employment Training Hall in Getas, Salatiga, Central Java, the farmers are currently able to produce superior product rubber seedlings through the budgrafting.
Recorded at this time in the rubber plantation of Tanjung Perangat there are rubber seeds such as IRRC 100, IRR 112, PB 260, PB 340, 118 and IRR IRR 112. The most superior seed products are PB 260, IRRC 100 and IRR 112 because they have the most sap.
“After training in Getas 2011, we are able to produce superior rubber seedlings and the result is two times more effective with budgrafting technique,” said the man who has been in Berau in since 1995.
Another obstacle faced by the farmers if the rubber plant is attacked by white rot root disease that would cause significant mortality. “Many thanks for the training, we learned how to overcome disease of rubber tree and Berau Coal also helps to provide herbicides so we can use them to control pests and diseases”, said the man who has three children.
Meanwhile, Suyanto, member of Harapan Makmur group added the rainy season also brings a challenge, if the harvest is not sooner, the sap will be too watery.
The native man from Central Java who has migrated to Berau since 1996 confirmed that to produce good quality rubber seedlings. First, it must be built an entres garden in order to provide the buds or entres timber availability in sufficient quantities.
To fulfill the quantity, needed rootstock with strong roots, good water absorption and good nutrients and resistant to any diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare the land for a new crop, seed treatment, germination, seedling planting, and maintenance of plants in the nursery business.
When 6-8 month old, the seedlings are used as rootstocks are ready for budgrafting by using the buds that have been minimum of 8-12 months old. Grafting is a methode of plant propagation done by patching buds from one crop to similar, with purpose for obtaining superior scions.
“The results of grafting will be obtained a planting material in the form of sleep eye stum, which can be planted in a polybag,” said the man born 48 years ago. The bud-grafted seeds planted in polybags can be transferred to the field, if it has one or two umbrella-leaves.
At the same place, Jaliman companion of Tanjung Perangat village added that he always visits the field to record the farmers’ needs to increase the yield and rubber quality. “Hopefully, this rubber could be an excellent commodity in Berau and in the future Tanjung Perangat become a rubber center,” he concluded.