PT Bosowa Corporation

PT.Bosowa Agro Industries (BAI), the Department of Agriculture, and the Government of the Regency of Maros, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the Development of Hybrid Rice and Cultivation of Other Food Plants in the regency of Maros, South Sulawesi. The main objective of the MOU between Bosowa Agro Industries and the Government Institutions is to produce a superior variety of food plant with priority on the development of hybrid rice. The next phase is to produce a superior variety of food plant in accordance to the capacity and the results of development.

Erwin Aksa, the President of PT Bosowa Agro Industries, explains that as one of the leading company from South Sulawesi and Eastern Indonesia, his company aims to participate in the rice production improvement, as well as increase farmers’ revenues by way of distributing hybrid rice varieties.  Hybrid rice varieties that are suitable for the South Sulawesi agro-climate condition will be identified and the volume of seeds to be increased, and then we will take part in the post harvest in order that farmers be guaranteed adequate business margins for their rice cultivation”, he said. He added that the technological advance of rice hybrid has opened up opportunities to increase rice production and productivity in Indonesia, due to the potential results of 8 – 1- tons GKG/per ha. Supposing a part of the existing rice fields are planted with hybrid rice, then the requirement of domestic rice can be fulfilled in certain point of time. Erwin said “Hybrid rice technology keeps on increasing; even China has proven in their testing to produce hybrid rice at 17 ton GKG/ per ha. This transfer of advance technology to the farmers has to be speed up, in order to increase farmers’ income and welfare in shorter time needed”. Aside from hybrid rice, the cooperation between Bosowa Agro Industries with the Department of Agriculture, and the Maros Regency also covers development of other commodities, including corn, sago, wheat, soya bean, green peas, peanuts, sweet potatoes, and cassava. The contents of the MOU stated that the Department of Agriculture would conduct a study and to develop the farm land in Maros, while Bosowa Agro Industries would develop an agricultural industry to assist the Government in developing food base agriculture in the area, and the Regency of Maros would be responsible to provide the land for cultivation.