SEKAYU, The Indonesia Post – Governor of South Sumatra (Sumsel) H Herman Deru appreciated the Musi Banyuasin (Muba) Regency Government’s move to innovate by operating a pre-vulcanized latex-based rubber asphalt plant. This is because it is considered to be able to slightly boost the selling value of the rubber commodity at the farm level.
“We appreciate this innovation. With this rubber mixed asphalt processing plant it will certainly absorb our rubber production,” said HD, while attending the Inauguration of the Latex-Based Rubber Asphalt Processing Plant in Muba Regency, Monday (26/10).
The presence of the rubber asphalt processing plant is believed to be of benefit to rubber farmers in South Sumatra which covers an area of 1.3 million hectares with the amount of rubber production in South Sumatra this year is predicted to reach 978,611 tons of dry rubber. Where asphalt will be mixed with natural rubber content of 7 percent. In one ton of hot asphalt mixture, approximately 60 kilograms of rubber can be utilized.
“Indeed, only 7 percent, but we should not look at one segment only. Because this is an alternative to open up opportunities for farmers. This means that we want rubber for asphalt raw material not depending on international prices,” he said.
Therefore, the South Sumatra Provincial Government and the Muba Regency Government will make it an e-Catalog. In other words, the price of rubber will not change.
“We agreed to make it an e-Catalog. So we make this rubber has a fixed price,” he explained.
On the other hand, in order to encourage the sustainability of the rubber asphalt processing plant, he asked for a synergy between the central government, provincial government and other local governments or municipalities.
“The synergy must exist. Asphalt must be used for roads in South Sumatra in particular, because it is oriented towards the economy of our rubber farmers,” he explained.
In fact, he emphasized that he would make regulations so that the rubber asphalt is also used by the Provincial Public Works Office of Bina Marga.
“Including I will also invite other regents and mayors to also use it,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Regent of Muba, H Dodi Reza Alex said, the innovation of asphalt processing has been carried out for the past two years.
“After that we moved quickly to implement the innovation. The processing that has been in Bogor and Lampung, we moved it to Muba, especially since Muba has 300 thousand hectares of rubber land,” he said.
According to him, there are four advantages of this rubber asphalt. Where this rubber asphalt can benefit various economic aspects of the community. Because the raw materials are taken from the farmers directly. Not only that, the price of rubber will also get better.
“From a technical point of view, even though the price is expensive, the road life is twice as durable. Watertight. The level of flexibility is good for swamps like in South Sumatra. From a business side too. Developers get certainty prices and abundant raw materials,” he concluded. (nfl/ril)
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