National rubber producers discuss rubber quality

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan 30/10 (AntaranewsKalsel) - Most local rubber producers and rubber entrepreneurs in Indonesia gathered in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Monday to discuss efforts to improve national rubber quality.

The discussion was submitted to the FGD Revision of Regulation of the Minister of Trade No. 54/M_DAGPER/7/2016 on quality control of processed rubber materials of technical specifications traded.

Director of Quality Standards and Quality Control of the ministry Chandra Mestika Dewi as a speaker said, in general, today the quality of Rubber Standard Indonesia Rubber (SIR) is quite good.

"After we do supervision and guidance to companies and traders, the quality of our SIR rubber has started well, although it still needs to coaching," she said.

According to her, there are four loads to improve the quality of rubber, including no heavy contaminants, no contaminants of more than five percent, and management using natural agglomeration.

Regarding supervision, she said, the revision of the regulation, among others, states that rubber quality control is in the province. Such provision raises the concerns of local governments given the limited human resources and supervision becomes not optimal.

According to Dewi, it is necessary to find the right solution, especially with the synergy of central government, provincial and district, so that the quality of rubber continues to increase.

"As in South Kalimantan, I think the coordination is quite good with the district and city, so this needs to be emulated by all regions," she said.

Earlier, Head of South Kalimantan Industry Agency Birhasani said that the control of rubber quality that becomes only the authority of the province will lower the rubber quality.

"Rubber supervision done by city and district alone is still not maximized. Let alone if supervision is only done by province, it is feared will make rubber quality decrease," he said.

Birhasani said currently almost 25 percent of South Kalimantan farmers rely on rubber farming. Thus, he added, it needs serious efforts of all parties concerned to improve the quality of rubber which is still low.