InfoSAWIT, ACEH — Thousands of kilometers of production roads inside independent smallholder oil palm plantations across Aceh Province have suffered severe damage following repeated tidal flooding and heavy rainfall in recent weeks. The deteriorating infrastructure has seriously disrupted the transportation of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) from plantations to mills and main roads.
Chairman of the Aceh Palm Oil Farmers Union (SPKS Aceh), Abubakar AR, said the damaged plantation roads have made it impossible for transport trucks to access farmers’ plots. As a result, harvested FFB cannot be transported, causing significant financial losses for smallholders.
“The situation is extremely concerning. Many farmers’ FFB cannot be transported because trucks are unable to enter plantation areas. The production roads are heavily damaged and no longer passable,” Abubakar told InfoSAWIT on Monday (December 15, 2025).
According to him, limited road access has forced many farmers to suspend harvesting altogether. Unharvested fruit bunches eventually rot on the trees or fall naturally, leading to declining quality and lower market prices.
“Many farmers choose not to harvest because the produce cannot be transported. The fruit ends up rotting or falling off, which is a real and tangible loss for independent smallholders,” he said.
SPKS Aceh has urged the Directorate General of Plantations to ease access to funds managed by the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP). The funds are expected to be directly utilized by farmer organizations at the district level to finance the construction and repair of plantation roads.
Abubakar said the situation has reached an emergency level, particularly in severely affected areas such as Langkahan District, Simpang Keramat District, and several other sub-districts in North Aceh. Similar conditions have also been reported in Aceh Tamiang and East Aceh, representing the eastern region of the province.
“We urge BPDP to respond quickly to the urgent need for plantation road repairs. It must be remembered that BPDP funds originate from CPO derived from FFB produced by palm oil farmers across Indonesia,” he stressed.
SPKS Aceh has also called on the Aceh Provincial Agriculture and Plantation Office, as well as plantation agencies at the district level, to simplify and expedite the submission process for farmer assistance proposals.
“Farmers’ proposals must be followed up immediately. They should not be delayed or made complicated. Without a swift response, we fear farmers’ trust in government institutions will continue to erode,” Abubakar concluded. (T2)
