Commitment to Sustainable
Acid Coagulants
Through stand-alone aid projects, the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training programs, or forms of incentive when delivering rubber directly to factories, the Kirana Megatara Group uses free distribution as the only promotional approach for utilizing formic acids.
As recent as this year, the Kirana Megatara Group organized a joint Corporate Social Responsibility program with the theme "Coagulant and Food Aid Program for Sustainable Rubber 2022." This program involved providing aid packages in the form of necessities and formic acid to the company's affiliated rubber farmers throughout the Sumatran island. Kirana delivered a total of 1,814 packages of basic foods, essential equipment, and formic coagulant acid to the farmers in four factory locations.
The distribution of formic coagulant acid to partnered rubber farmers has emerged as one of the company's crucial priorities. Advocating for more sustainable rubber production practices, Kirana offers rubber farmers a more guaranteed environmentally safe and homogenous coagulation of the produced rubber. A product of forest emissions, Kirana considers formic acid as an environmentally ideal coagulant for rubber production.
Rubber farmers utilize the formic coagulant acid to solidify the collected white latex extracted from the rubber trees before it is sent to the factories. The acid prevents any latex contamination during rain and limits the loss of production as it reduces spillage of the extracted produce.
However, many farmers have turned towards cheaper and more widely available coagulants that possess hazardous chemicals and potentially environmentally harmful materials. Sulfuric acid has become a popular coagulant for rubber farmers due to its easy access and convenience.
Notoriously known for its faster coagulation, PRI improvement, and smell reduction, the sulfuric acid coagulant is a favorable option for rubber farmers. Despite the more complete and homogenous coagulation with formic acid, the slower process rate often can be seen as adverse for the farmers who seek faster income.
"We know a lot of other farmers that use substitutes to [formic acid] because it is just cheaper and quicker. Rubber farming is already a long process, and often farmers will do many things to speed up the process," said Pak Amin Duren, a member of the Sejahtera farmer group in Jambi, Indonesia.
Notwithstanding its faster and more available advantages, sulfuric acid causes an environmental threat to wetland biodiversity, threatens the safety of the users as a powerful acid, only partially coagulates the extracted latex, and changes the final rubber properties.
Consequently, understanding the reality that farmers have looked towards more available yet environmentally harmful coagulant options, the distribution of formic acid helps ease the farmers' costs while increasing rubber production.
"We are very grateful that Kirana Megatara and Djambi Waras have supported us through these distributions and subsidies for the rubber coagulants over the years. We kindly ask and hope that Kirana can continue supporting us with programs like these," expressed Mr. Sumardi, the Sumber Rezeki farmer group leader in Jambi, Indonesia.
The distribution of formic acid coagulants helps ease the farmers' financial burden and maintain high-quality rubber production while committing to sustainable agricultural practices for the Kirana Megatara Group.
The Kirana Megatara Group plans to continue its regular distribution and subsidies of formic acid coagulants for its partnered rubber farmers in various locations for the foreseeable future.