PANGKALPINANG – As part of its support for the government’s program to strengthen national food security, PT TIMAH Tbk continues to support the agricultural sector in the company's operational areas.
Some time ago, PT TIMAH Tbk provided seed and agricultural equipment assistance to help farmer groups improve their productivity.
This assistance is part of PT TIMAH Tbk’s commitment to supporting the development of the community’s agricultural sector, especially in areas with productive land potential.
As a member of the Indonesian Mining Industry Holding MIND ID, PT Timah distributed 10 corn machines to farmer groups in South Bangka, pineapple seeds to the Bina Tailong Farmer Group in Kundur, and a corn shelling machine to the Bina Tani Farmer Group in Ganse Hamlet, Gantung Village, East Belitung.
Suparno, Chairman of the Bina Tani Tailong group, said the assistance from PT Timah would be used by group members who plan to cultivate pineapples. Besides purchasing seeds, the aid would also be used for land clearing, fertilizer, and other needs.
"We will start planting pineapples because this commodity is in high demand, has a wide market—such as in Batam or Tanjung Balai Karimun—and is relatively easy to maintain since it is not highly prone to pests," said Suparno.
According to Suparno, this is the second time their group has received aid from PT Timah, having previously received a mini cultivator tractor, which they found very useful.
“Previously, we received a mini cultivator tractor that was very beneficial for our group members to clear land. It helped save both cost and labor in preparing the land for planting,” he said.
He expressed appreciation for PT Timah’s support for their group, which has enabled them to continue improving agricultural productivity. He hopes this collaboration will continue in the future so that they can contribute to food security.
“Thank you for PT Timah’s support. It has really boosted our motivation and helped us a lot, especially since buying pineapple seeds on our own is quite expensive. We hope to become PT Timah’s partner in supporting food security, particularly in the Kundur area,” he added.
Similarly, Dedi Junaidi, Chairman of the Bina Tani Farmer Group in Ganse Hamlet, Gantung Village, East Belitung, said he was happy to receive the corn shelling machine. He explained that the machine greatly helps farmers in shelling corn quickly and easily.
“This machine is very useful for farmers because it makes it easier and faster to separate the corn kernels from the cob. Moreover, it has been designed to improve the quality of shelled corn,” he said.
He expressed his appreciation to PT Timah for providing the machine as a form of the company’s concern in supporting their farming work.
“This assistance is something we truly needed to ease our work. Thank you to PT Timah for always showing concern—we really feel helped because we had been hoping for this machine,” he said. (*)
