PLANTATION

CIFU has an oil palm plantation located in Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra Province, Indonesia. The company has developed an integrated strategy that aims to: (a) produce and process palm oil and (b) take full advantage of the various natural conditions that make Indonesia one of the ideal palm oil-producing regions in the world. This tropical plant thrives in Indonesia's abundant natural wealth.

Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) were obtained at 36 months after planting, depending on the oil palm variety planted. The harvest will increase sharply until the eighth year. In the fifteenth year, the yield will decrease gradually. In its 25th year, oil palm enters a period of “replanting”. Currently, our plantation in South Sumatra is doing its third-anniversary planting. We clean plants using mechanical equipment instead of slash-and-burn techniques, in accordance with government policies to avoid air pollution.

Palm oil production requires a hands-on approach. To be able to produce it economically requires high skills, good management, and a disciplined and trained workforce. Such activities, apart from benefiting the local economy, also provide jobs for the people around.

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MILL

When the oil palm matures, the maintenance program is largely the same. However, the frequency for some maintenance work tends to decrease as the tree ages. Our group research station provides us with agronomic recommendations based on the trials and tests carried out. For example, rather than relying on a 'one size fits all' fertilizer recommendation, each 25-30 hectare oil palm tree is tested for nutrient content in its leaves annually to produce the most optimal and cost-efficient fertilizer mix. We efficiently utilize our workforce on plantations by shifting harvesters to do other work during low crop season and vice versa.

The ripeness of harvested fresh fruit bunches (FFB) is very important in maximizing the quality and quantity of palm oil extraction. We harvest FFB from oil palm trees only when suitable fruit quality becomes detached from FFB, indicating peak maturity.

The mill is strategically located within the plantation to ensure that FFB arrives at the mill as soon as possible for processing. It also helps reduce transportation costs from plantation to mill and ensures that our FFB arrives on time at the mill with minimal spoilage and maximum quality standards.

FFB is sterilized by applying high-pressure steam, to inactivate enzymes in the palm fruit and to separate the fruit from the oil palm bunch. After the steaming process, the palm fruit is crushed in a pressing machine to obtain crude palm oil and palm kernel. The waste and water are then cleaned and separated from the CPO using a centrifuge. We use empty fruit bunches and waste arising from the process as fertilizer in our plantations.

We will continue to monitor our processing capacity to ensure that we can accommodate the expected increase in FFB production from our plantations.

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