The Role of Biotechnology in Plantation Development

Abstract

During the last decade the development of estate subsector has gained substantial improvement, viewed from the high rate of increase in acreage, production, and export'. Beside the gradual improvement in institution that reach more of the majority of plantation farmers who manage + 86% of the existing - total acreage. Lately, the tradeable estate comodity faces an increasing stiff competition in the international market. This situation i s estimated to continue in the future. Factors contribute t o this situation come from the trend of free market and globalization as well as technology improvement that produce substitution goods. To face this condition, the improvement of estate commodity production i s directed towards efficiency and product quality improvement, so it can compete in the international market. One effort in realizing the objective is the integration of biotechnology wether in the plantation cultural technique as well as in the processing of product, and reuse of product waste. The development of biotechnology in oil palm tissue culture have been initiated which mass production. The some programs have been developed for tissue culture of coconut, coffee, cacao, vanily and rubber, so in the future this technology is expected to commercially established. Improvement of product processing system utilizing biotechnology also has been in the initial stage and is expected to contribute to a good prospect for estate commodity in the future. This i s not only to increase the non-petrolium export commodity, but also to improve the well-being of Indonesian farmers.