How They Depend on Corn

Suroyo treated his corn estate

Suselo (40) is a teacher at local secondary school in Menang Village, Pare Sub District, Kediri Regency, a town in East Java Province. He lives with his wife and two children. Since for many years ago till now he has also been working as a corn farmer. Corn has been a part of his life.

“You can imagine how much I get salary per month,” said Suselo when we start talking about his life. Teacher salary in Indonesia is around Rp 3 million or around 300 US dollar per month. It is not enough to cover his family spending.  He gives example, it just enough for three weeks their spending.

Suroyo (79), also a farmer, said he worked in the corn estate to add his earning. When he was active soldier he has been a farmer. He also realized that monthly salary can’t meet his family spending so he worked as corn farmer. Now, he is veteran of soldier, he still works as a farmer.

 “I have 0.3 hectare corn estate. Although relative small, it can give my family additional earning. My family can meet standard life because I get pension fund and earning from farm,” said Suroyo.

            Suselo, Suroyo, and another farmer in almost of agricultural area live in subsistent. They work as a farmer but actually its earning can’t cover all spending. They must work with another job. They are better than another farmer because they work as a teacher and a soldier. Another farmer must work as three cycle driver and seasonal labor in urban area.

            Fortunately, in their village corn can grow easily because there is Kelud volcano near their village. Ash from this volcano eruption has increased land fertility since many years ago. Almost all crops, from vegetable, rice, corn, and fruit can grow in this area.

Lihat Peta Lebih Besar

            “I choose corn twice a year. After I plant rice then I cultivate corn and corn again,” said Suselo. It means that in one year, there is 3 cycles. Farmer chooses corn because it is relatively very simple to be planted than other. It needs less water than rice. Corn is not very sensitive to pest. There is no advanced treatment to corn because it can grow even in marginal land.

            Many people grow corn in Kediri. It makes East Java province to be the first corn producer in Indonesia. Last year East Java produced 5.9 million ton corn. The other province just produce less than 4 million ton per year.

            When driving car in Kediri, in every side we can see corn estate. Farmer still starts to do seeding. The others treat or do harvesting. People are seen enjoying their activities. They smile when they get good harvesting, corn look fresh, big and pure yellow.

            “Actually I am a teacher but I enjoy being farmers,” said Suselo. From corn, he can get additional money then he can cover family spending. Although he must wait around 4 months to harvest corn, Suselo said it is worth activity. After he works in school he goes to his field until afternoon every day. He feels that he can utilize free time which earn money than he just stay in his home.

            According to some financial analysis, for a hectare farmer can earn Rp 16 million per 4 months or Rp 4 million per month. Suselo and Suroyo just have 0.3 hectare so they get Rp 1.3 million per month.

            “This calculation also includes land rent but if they have own land, the income will be more than that number. Actually it is ideal calculation which I calculate rental land and labor cost. Most of farmer does not include labor cost because they work in their own land so they will get nominally higher than my calculation,” said Edi, agricultural business analyst.

            Edi said that income come from estate where farmer used hybrid seed. If they used composite side from local breeder they will get less than Rp 4 million per hectare, approximately a half of hybrid income.

            He also mentioned that Indonesia corn production can be increased from around 18 million ton to be more than 29 million ton if government aggressively promotes of using of hybrid seed. Indonesia still uses hybrid seed upon 40 percent of its land. This is very small, compared to using hybrid seed in Thailand which is 95 percent and Philippine is around 60 percent.

            “Using of hybrid seed in Indonesia is very slow. I think government must promote it in order to increase corn production,” said Endang Syahroni, General Marketing PT Bisi Indonesia TBK, seed producer. He believed to meet corn consumption for animal feed and bio fuel, Indonesia must increase corn production.

            For comparion, productivity of composite seed is just 3 ton per hectare while hybrid seed can produce more than 7 ton per hectare. The problem hybrid seed is more expensive than composite seed for one kg hybrid seed is Rp 55.000 and composite seed is just Rp 18.000. In one hectare, farmer needs 50 kg seed.

            “It can be settled if government launch subsidy program for corn farmer. Government can help farmer through subsidizing seed cost. Let say government agree to cover Rp 20.000 per kg, it can help farmer,” said Edi.

listen to ‘What About GMO Seed and Hybrid Seed’ on Audioboo

Suselo and Suroyo were very happy if government launch subsidy program. They felt that the program could reduce their burden. They also believed if government realizes this program there are other farmer will follow to plant corn. People who still depended on composite seed will change to hybrid seed as well.

            “It is easy for government to increase corn production. Here people have high interest to plant corn, government just support us to increase corn production,” said Suselo. Again, he suggested through the program government also increase people wealthy because million people also depend on corn estate.

Supermarket in Commuter Train

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                Every morning thousand people from outskirt of Jakarta must struggle to come in their office on time. Many years ago they depended on only limited transportation facilities, like private car, bus and motor cycle.  Few people went by poor train, dirty and often delay. They must prepare around two or three hours before they can arrive on time in their office. Since 2008 there was a great change.

listen to ‘Jakarta Suburban Train’ on Audioboo

                On 2008 Indonesia government built double track rail at most of outskirt lanes. There was changing how people move from home to their office.  Every morning they don’t need to prepare long time to arrive in their office. It just takes 30 minutes or one hour. People just go to nearest station and waiting around 5 minute to catch commuter or suburban train.

                In beginning of its operation, only few people switched from private car and bus to commuter train. Many people worried about their safety because many accidents in train before. They don’t know how train operator served its customers. It took almost two years when people realized changing on suburban transportation.

listen to ‘Interview with Transportation Expert’ on Audioboo

                When more passengers enjoyed train service and told their experience to colleges, another people followed to switch their vehicle. According to train operator there are around new 50.000 passengers in the train. Commuter train has attracted people. It is fastest transportation for those who live about 50 kilometers until 100 kilometers outskirt of Jakarta.

                Now train operator increase their commuter train service. They import more coach to multiply train schedule. Train range schedule is every 15 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes after 09.00 am. It will be shorten in every 10 minutes and 15 minutes.

                However among suburban trains, there is cheapest train. Its cost is only Rp 1,500, or less than 10 cent US dollar for single trip, beside Rp 6,000 (around 70 cents US dollars) for air conditioned coach. Government still operated this train to help poor people to access public transport. Government subsidized this train operation cost.

It is called economic train but people often call Supermarket Train. Why did people call it?

                When passenger comes in the coach, they will see many people selling inside. They offer from food, fruit, newspaper, cigarette, drink, household utensils, book, and so on. Most of products come from China, even fruit. If you want to see how great China economic you just see and seat in this Supermarket Train.

                People enjoy this train when they want to go to Jakarta and in the same time they want to buy something without they have to go to market. Or, sometime people fail to get air conditioned train, they choose Supermarket Train because this train come earlier.

                So, let’s enjoy one of Jakarta side through Supermarket Train.