The road has holes and rocks when entering Perupuk Village, Batubara District, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra. That afternoon, the weather was scorching hot. Right and left, rice fields with rice spread out widely. There are also oil palm plantations. Some oil palm plantations appear neglected, some have been eroded, affected by sea abrasion.
Two old men wearing knee-length trousers and shabby clothes were carrying machetes and hoes. They are Mr. Agus and Mr. Hamzah, two farmers from Perupuk Village who have just returned from the garden. They put their luggage near the mango tree in front of the house.
“Conditions have changed. Since 10 years ago, many oil palms in this village have been neglected. "This is the result of salt water from the sea entering the residents' oil palm plantations," said Agus, starting the conversation.
He said that residents planted oil palms self-taught and lacked knowledge about management and maintenance. Residents, he said, planted with whatever funds and abilities they had. Since 10 years ago, said Agus, the village and district governments have never paid attention to the welfare or oil palm plantations of Perupuk Village residents. In fact, he said, residents complained about abrasion in coastal areas which caused mangroves to erode. As a result, abrasion continues to spread and threatens land including oil palm plantations.
“When sea water rises, water will enter the oil palm land. "The water will definitely go straight into the ground and hit the roots of the palm oil," he said.
In fact, said Agus, salt can be used as fertilizer, but too much of it is not good for plants, including palm oil. Hamzah agreed with what Agus said. He said that most residents have to spend extra money to maintain their palm oil. This condition creates an imbalance between income and maintenance costs.
“The price of fertilizer is around Rp. 250,000, could be more. Usually we don't pay in full straight away but in installments until harvest time arrives. That is, if it is supported by regular harvests and large and good yields. "Otherwise, oil palm farmers could end up going into debt or experiencing big losses," he said, noting that in the past farmers could harvest once a week because there was a lot of fruit. Now, harvest every two weeks. Difficult conditions, especially during the pandemic, have created new problems, many people are stealing farmers' palm fruit.
Hamzah said he couldn't monitor the oil palm plantation 24 hours because he had to go home. There is also no cost to pay for palm oil plantation guard services.
Agus replied, conditions are difficult, especially during this pandemic, residents are taking care of palm oil as best they can. What they did, among other things, was raise the oil palm plantation on the ground to prevent sea water from entering, diligently cut old fronds and apply fertilizer.
By depending on palm oil, Agus's family cannot meet their daily needs. They also have to look for side jobs.
“Usually there are oil palm farmers who also accept harvesting services on other people's plantations. "It could be oil palm plantations or other plantations," he said.
Their job, said Agus, is to harvest people's gardens. This usually happens to garden owners who are quite well off and don't have time to harvest themselves. Agus and Hamzah hope that the government will not just remain silent. Farmers' conditions become increasingly difficult when the trading system is long. The farmers' palm oil goes to middlemen who act as agents, then it goes to the factory. Farmers cannot directly sell palm oil products to factories. The closest factory to the village belongs to PT Perkebunan Nusantara II (PTPN II).
“Finally, we palm oil farmers in this village continue to do as much as possible. "You have to be smart in managing even though the costs are minimal and minimal," said Agus. Ipah, a female farmer in Perupuk Village, also talked about the difficulties of palm oil plantations, especially during the recent pandemic.
"Since my husband died, I have had to work hard to support my family and manage the oil palm plantation left by my late husband alone," said this single parent of two children.
She continues to manage the oil palm of her husband who died five years ago. He has no knowledge about palm oil management. His oil palm plantation is now increasingly neglected because he also has to take care of his children at home. Due to limited funds, Ipah rarely provides fertilizer, which gets even worse when sea water enters the oil palm plantations. He often failed to harvest or didn't get much palm fruit to sell. The price of fertilizer is expensive, Ipah doesn't have the money to buy it.
Ipah usually goes to the garden three times a week to monitor and clean the land with her first child. He cleaned the land from scattered rubbish and hoeed the soil to make it loose. Also cut old fronds. He also chose fallen palm fruit.
Ipah palm fruit is often rotten and/or immature but falls so it is not worth selling. Very little of the Ipah palm oil harvest can be sold to middlemen. He said he was only able to produce 200 kilograms per harvest every two weeks at a price of around Rp. 900 per kg. With results of that size, he said, he could not meet the family and school needs of his two children.
Ipah also had to look for a side job to supplement the family's income. Sometimes, he works as a laborer on other people's gardens. For him, it is clear that he cannot make his living solely from oil palm plantations. When he was a palm oil worker, he received a wage of IDR 300 per kg of harvest. Assistance to oil palm farmers from village and district governments, he said, is minimal. He hopes that the government will provide assistance to farmers in Perupuk so they can care for and manage palm oil sustainably. "However, farmers in Perupuk still depend on their income from palm oil."
Another woman farmer, Ilis, also experienced similar difficulties. Her husband passed away seven years ago and the care of the oil palm plantation was based in Ilis. The garden is on the coast. The children migrate to look for work because living in the village is difficult. He said that the life of oil palm farmers in the village was worrying. Conditions got worse during the pandemic and palm oil prices did not improve while prices of basic necessities continued to creep up. The price of palm oil for farmers, he said, depends on the middleman.
Last March, the price of palm fruit was IDR 800-IDR 1,000 per kg. “Uncertain about the price. Again, this is adjusted to the middleman's price. We farmers cannot avoid it because otherwise palm oil won't sell. "Like it or not, we have to accept whatever price is determined," he said.
One harvest of Ilis can produce 250 kilograms, with a selling price per kg of IDR 900. In a month Ilis earns around IDR 500,000. Income of that amount, he said, is certainly not sufficient for daily needs. Just like Ipah, Ilis is also looking for a side job to meet her family's needs. He also worked as a laborer in other people's gardens, including chili, onion and other gardens. The wages of garden workers usually get IDR 30,000-IDR 50,000 per day.
“If it wasn't like that, it wouldn't be possible. All basic commodities are expensive, not to mention household necessities such as electricity and water. Sometimes you have to dig a hole, cover the hole.” Ilis hopes that the government will pay attention to small farmers.
Avena Matondang, an anthropologist, said that there should be a forum that oversees farmers in managing oil palm plantations. The government and palm oil companies, he said, must be responsible for helping residents in the area. "After all, they get profits from the palm oil."
Tirza Pandelaki, Program and Partnership Manager, Palm Oil Farmers Union (SPKS) said that the palm oil supply chain in Perupuk Village is too long. Farmers, he said, cannot sell directly to factories. "Currently, farmers are confined to selling to middlemen, whether there is an informal agreement or not on top of the work contract." Tirza urged the government to provide facilities to revive institutions and find a more balanced pattern of cooperation and improve the welfare of farmers.
