InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – More than just ordinary palm oil seeds, Topaz is the result of extensive research and innovation from Asian Agri. Now, with four variants plus a new Ganoderma-tolerant variant, offering potential yields of up to 40 tons of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) per hectare per year, this seed could be the top choice for industry players and farmers aiming for high productivity and sustainability.
Behind every tiny palm oil seed lies great hope for thousands of farmers and industry players in Indonesia. Hope for abundant harvests, high oil extraction rates, and a more prosperous future. That hope is now closer to reality thanks to the presence of Topaz, Asian Agri's superior palm oil seed variety, which continues to innovate year after year.
During a recent plantation exhibition in Jakarta, Husen, Topaz Marketing Manager from Asian Agri, shared the long journey and latest achievements of Topaz palm oil seeds. With great enthusiasm, he detailed the advantages offered by Topaz's four main variants, now augmented by the newest variant, Topaz GT, a generation tolerant to Ganoderma disease.
"We have four main variants," Husen explained. "Topaz 1 is a cross between dura Deli and pisifera Nigeria, Topaz 2 with pisifera Ghana, Topaz 3 with pisifera Ekona, and Topaz 4 with pisifera Yangambi. All four have their own advantages, but the fruit characteristics are the main differentiator."
In practice, Husen explained, fruit color is a crucial indicator for determining the right harvest time. "For instance, Topaz 1's unripe fruit is green, but when ripe, it turns bright orange. That's a signal that the fruit is perfectly mature," he said, showing InfoSAWIT an image of an ideal harvest. "If harvested when the color is fully orange, the oil extraction rate can reach up to 28 percent for flat terrain."
With this educational approach, Asian Agri aims to change farmers' habits of relying solely on fallen loose fruits for harvesting. Early or delayed harvesting risks reducing oil quality and quantity.
Heterogeneous Planting Strategy
Asian Agri doesn't stop at producing superior seeds. They also offer a meticulous planting strategy, employing a heterogeneous approach to anticipate pest and disease attacks. Husen suggests that within one plantation area, farmers plant a combination of 70 percent Topaz 1 and 30 percent Topaz 3.
"With such a composition, the plants can protect each other, and the overall yield per hectare can be optimized. We have conducted trials, and the results can reach over 30 tons of FFB per hectare per year," he revealed. (T2)
