PANGKALAN BUN – PT Astra Agro Lestari Tbk (Astra Agro) reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable oil palm plantation management by integrating technology, innovation, conservation, and Good Corporate Governance (GCG) into its operations. The company showcased its initiatives to national journalists during the 2026 BPDP Press Tour at its operational area in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan, on 30 July.
“At Astra Agro, sustainability must be embedded in every aspect of our operations. We integrate people, plant, and planet by developing our people, maintaining crop productivity, and ensuring environmental stewardship. These efforts are underpinned by Good Corporate Governance as the foundation for responsible and sustainable business,” said Hubbal Khoir Sembiring, Director of Central Kalimantan Operations Area at Astra Agro.
During the visit, participants saw the company’s implementation of mechanisation and digitalisation across its oil palm plantations. Adopting technology is a key part of Astra Agro’s strategy to improve operational efficiency and productivity while strengthening data-driven plantation management.
Beyond technological innovation, Astra Agro demonstrated its commitment to biodiversity conservation by managing conservation areas within its plantations. The company maintains a nursery for Blangeran, an endemic tree species native to Kalimantan, to conserve and enrich native vegetation across the landscape.
The programme included a visit to Astra Agro’s Research and Development (R&D) Centre, where participants explored innovations developed to address operational needs and support the long-term sustainability of the palm oil industry.
Through its research programmes, Astra Agro has developed three proprietary oil palm varieties—AAL Lestari, AAL Sejahtera, and AAL Nirmala. These varieties have been continuously improved to achieve greater resistance to Ganoderma disease, thereby increasing plantation productivity and strengthening long-term crop resilience.
The company also developed ASTEMIC (Astra Efficient Microbe), a microbial biofertiliser designed to improve nutrient uptake and enhance soil fertility. This innovation reduces the use of chemical fertilisers by up to 25%, showing how research outcomes are directly applied in plantation operations.
Astra Agro believes that the future competitiveness of the palm oil industry will increasingly depend on its ability to innovate, embrace technology, and continuously adapt to evolving sustainability challenges.
Source: Sindo News
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