Terbanggi Besar, Central Lampung – PT Great Giant Pineapple (GGP) welcomed a visit from PT Bukit Muria Jaya (BMJ), a cigarette paper manufacturer based in West Karawang, on Friday (25/8). The visit aimed to explore collaboration opportunities in developing banana stem (gedebok) fiber as an innovative and sustainable raw material for paper products.

The BMJ delegation was received by GGP Director of External Affairs, Welly Soegiono, together with Hendri Tanujaya, Corporate Affairs Lampung Subdivision Head, at the Great Giant Foods (GGF) Training Center.

David Gunawan, BMJ’s Government & External Relations Manager, explained that nearly every part of the banana tree holds economic potential. “Banana stems are especially suitable as paper-making material. They are abundant, easy to process, and can produce paper with diverse textures and thicknesses,” he said.

Currently, GGP utilizes banana stems (ares) as supplementary cattle feed within its Pisang Mas partnership program in Tanggamus. “This practice has proven effective in supporting beef cattle fattening programs by contributing to weight gain,” added Welly.

The discussion also addressed safety concerns related to pesticide exposure on banana stems. David assured that the processing stages — including drying and thorough cleaning — ensure the material is safe before being transformed into cigarette paper.

The visit concluded with a field tour of GGP’s banana plantation in Estate Plantation Group 1, where BMJ representatives observed sustainable plantation management practices.

Terbanggi Besar, August 9, 2023 – PT Great Giant Pineapple (PT GGP), a subsidiary of Great Giant Foods (GGF), welcomed a visit from the Lampung Financial Services Authority (OJK) to explore financing schemes and circular economy practices for partner banana farmers in Tanggamus Regency.

The delegation was led by Bambang Hermanto, Chief Representative of OJK Lampung, and was received by Ferdy Fu (Head of Finance, Accounting & Tax PT GGP), Hendri Tanujaya (Head of Corporate Affairs Lampung Subdivision), and Waliyuddin (Head of Tanggamus Operation Department) at PT GGP’s Guest House meeting room. Several Tanggamus partner banana farmers also joined the discussion.

During the session, Ferdy Fu explained how GGF has implemented a circular economy model through PT GGP and PT Great Giant Livestock (PT GGL), in collaboration with local farmers and breeders.

“Currently, farmers and breeders already have access to credit facilities from Bank BRI, which are recognized and documented by GGF. This reflects an agreement between the farmers, BRI, and GGF,” said Ferdy.

One of the main challenges raised was the availability of fertilizers, which farmers often struggle to access. Ferdy noted that cooperatives can help ease access through the Kredit Usaha Rakyat (KUR) Agriculture program, which provides working capital loans to support farming operations.

The KUR program offers several schemes, including Micro KUR, Retail KUR, Small KUR, and Special KUR. These facilities are designed to support farmers in managing their land—such as fertilization—while PT GGP continues to supply quality seeds to ensure strong yields.

Among the financing options:

• Super Micro KUR: No maximum loan limit, depending on quota availability and requirements.

• BRI Micro KUR: Specifically for agriculture and fisheries, offering loans up to four cycles with a cumulative ceiling of IDR 500 million.

• KUR Linkage (Executing & Channelling) and KUR Micro: With ceilings up to IDR 20 million.

These facilities are part of the government’s broader effort to advance Indonesia’s agricultural sector through increased access to financing, empowering farmers, and strengthening food security.

Central Lampung, 23 May 2023 – Director of Digital Asset Supervision of the Financial Services Authority (OJK), Lufaldy Ernanda, together with his staff, paid a working visit to PT Great Giant Pineapple (GGP) in Terbanggi Besar, Central Lampung.

During the visit, Lufaldy explained that the Draft OJK Regulation (RPOJK) on the carbon exchange is in the finalization stage and is targeted to be issued in September 2023, with the carbon exchange expected to go live by the end of the year.

“Today we are exchanging ideas with private companies about their potential contribution to the national strategy for reducing emissions. We see Great Giant Pineapple as one of the companies that has made very good progress in reducing emissions. Looking ahead, GGP could become one of the pioneers among agricultural companies in Indonesia’s carbon exchange,” Lufaldy said.

He further explained that the carbon exchange will operate similarly to other exchanges, where companies can register as buyers or sellers, depending on their emission reduction results. Companies with certified emission reduction projects will be positioned as sellers, while those pursuing net zero goals may act as buyers.

The OJK delegation was warmly welcomed by Arief Fatullah, Senior Sustainability Manager of Great Giant Foods Lampung, and Julius Sugarjanto, Sustainability Farming & Climate at GGF, at the PT GGP Training Center. Both parties exchanged presentations on ongoing initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The carbon exchange is being prepared as a secondary market for trading carbon certificates, backed by a robust regulatory framework. According to Lufaldy, it is crucial for the government to involve stakeholders to ensure that the exchange effectively supports Indonesia’s climate change mitigation efforts.

He also highlighted that carbon trading has become a key area of interest, not only for domestic stakeholders but also for international investors. The regulatory foundation for this initiative is based on:

• Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 98/2021 on the Implementation of the Economic Value of Carbon.

• Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation No. 21/2022 on Procedures for Implementing the Economic Value of Carbon.

• Law No. 4/2023 on the Development and Strengthening of the Financial Sector, which mandates OJK to oversee the carbon exchange.

Key regulatory elements under preparation in the RPOJK include:

• Definition of the GHG Emission Reduction Certificate (SPEGRK).

• Technical Approval of Upper Emission Limits for Business Actors (PTBAE-PU).

• Rules for business activities, capital, and carbon exchange organizers, including the types of activities and products that may be traded.

“Carbon trading is attracting the attention of all stakeholders. With the right regulations, the carbon exchange will strengthen Indonesia’s competitiveness and support our national climate agenda,” concluded Lufaldy.