Yogyakarta’s forestry and plantations agency and Waterland Asia Investments Pte Ltd have been pioneering the cultivation of camelina sativa, a flowering plant potentially grown for biofuel, in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta.
The agency’s head Akhmad Dawam said the camelina could provide a significant source of clean energy, so it was hoped that the cultivation of the oil plant could help tackle the energy crisis in the future while also increasing the farmers’ income.
“I hope this oil plant can give farmers more prosperity because they don’t have to merely depend on food crops,” he said.
On Wednesday, Akhmad and Waterland Asia Investments chairman Adi Sasono jointly planted camelina sativa on a 300-hectare plot of land in Manggoran state forests in Playen, Gunungkidul.
Cultivating the camelina sativa is considered much more profitable compared to other oil plants such as the castor oil plant, locally known as nyamplung.
Waterland’s Adi said the camelina sativa being planted in Manggoran was genetically modified and taken from the University of Cambridge in the UK. It could produce more fruit and be harvested in just two months, instead of five years, while also being suitable for dry land.
“It won’t compete with food crops,” he said.
According to Akhmad, Waterland will buy camelina sativa fruit at between Rp 2,000 (26 US cents) to Rp 2,500 per kilogram. Meanwhile, its leaves and stalks, which are good for feeding cattle, were selling at Rp 600 per kilogram.
If the trial is successful, 1,800-hectares of camelina plantations will be opened.
