PEKANBARU – Riau Representative Indonesian Bank (BI) Leader, Mahdi Mohammad, said, the number of Rural Banks (BPR) also Syaria Bank in Riau were relatively large, which are 35 units. List of BPR asset value has now reached amount Rp 1,01 trillion but still very small compared to the potential economic growth of Riau which is ranked in national fifth position.

The lack of  Rural and Syaria Banks in Riau economic reach is still very low due to the developing markets to the remote areas where many palm oil plantations are located.

In fact, he explained, quoted by Antara Riau, Tuesday (04/11/2014), the velocity of money in the area of palm oil plantations is very large because BI survey showed the amount reached Rp 5 trillions.

“The result of our study of the circulation of money among smallholders in Riau reached Rp 4-5 trillions into the financial system  yet because the access to the bank so far. This opportunity should be used by the Rural Banks, where the conventional banks are not able to reach them,” he said.

Continued he said, that the number of palm oil innate energy farmers in Riau is very much seen from the portion of their plantation reached 52% from the total of palm oil plantations in Riau which as 2,4 million hectares. So that the central bank hopes that rural banks expand it access into the center of palm oil plantations in remote areas. (T3)