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Print this pageThe Plantation Division operates two oil palm R&D centres – SumBio in Bah Lias, North Sumatra, and PT SAIN in Pekanbaru, Riau. Both centres are certified palm seed producers whose premium seeds are highly demanded by oil palm producers for their high-yielding, disease-resistant and drought-tolerant qualities. The R&D centres are operated by a professional team of agronomists and researchers that conduct extensive R&D in various areas, including crop yield, crop resilience, pest and disease control and estate management practices. The Division also runs an R&D facility for sugar cane in South Sumatra.
Besides developing premium seeds, the R&D centres also look for ways to make more productive and sustainable use of limited land resources. We have been instrumental in developing many useful innovations that have contributed to sustainable oil palm in Indonesia, and IndoAgri's long term competitiveness as an integrated agribusiness. These included block-base farming, soil conservation using Vetiver systems, and recycling by-products like EFB and POME into soil mulch and nutrient substitutes.
Leverages biotechnology, a diverse germ-plasm base and other advanced cultivation techniques to produce top quality high-yielding varieties, disease-resistant and drought-tolerant oil palm seeds and planting materials under ongoing crossbreeding programmes at SumBio and PT SAIN.
Involves soil surveys and analyses, and hydrology studies to improve soil fertility and drainage.
Entails site-specific soil management and crop-cultivation techniques to ensure optimal crop management and planting densities, and fertiliser and herbicide usage on a block-by-block basis.
Emphasises the use of biological and naturally occurring agents for controlling pests and diseases.
Drones were used for real-time monitoring of the agronomic conditions in the field. The images taken by the drones were combined with other data sources, like the Geographic Information System and ground GPS, to provide comprehensive and accurate feedback on the condition of the estates.
Since 1997, the Group has been cooperating with leading and highly reputable oil palm breeding centres in Africa and South America on its oil palm seed breeding program. The program uses the latest breeding technology together with our own highly qualified personnel. The best sources of oil palm germplasm are being developed consisting of various origins with the objective of providing high yielding planting materials.
The oil palm seed breeding program of the Group is focused on improving the CPO yield and quality, together with controlling trunk height growth and producing drought & disease tolerant seeds.
A |
Be able to control the genetic purity of the seedlings planted, thus ensuring continually improving CPO yields |
B |
Be self-sufficient in terms of oil palm seedlings for its planting purposes |
C |
Produce additional high yielding oil palm seeds for sale to external parties thus generating additional revenue and profitability for the Group |
Through the Group's advanced agricultural research centres, Sumatra Bioscience (SumBio) in Bah Lias, North Sumatra, and PT SAIN in Pekanbaru, Riau, we have extensive in-house capability in the management of plantations, and a strong R&D heritage in the analysis of soil, plant tissues, fertilisers, palm oil and latex. Our modern laboratories and comprehensive facilities equip us for in-depth research on tissue culture and pathology. The aim is to maximise the productivity and efficiency of seed breeding and cultivation using methodological frameworks for farming operations, ensuring best practices in plantation management.
SumBio has a long history and is well known as a premier oil palm seed producer in Indonesia.
In a move to grow our market share, two new high-yielding varieties were launched in 2015. These new varieties demonstrate the continuous improvement from our advanced breeding programmes, leading to higher yielding and disease tolerant varieties. To manage the risks posed by counterfeit seed distributors, SumBio has a process to authenticate and tag its seed products using ultraviolet (UV) printing technology.
