This research was carried out in the Region of Kimbun Karet Mesuji, in the village of Kampung Baru, Cahaya Mas, and Pematang Sari in the Sub-district of Mesuji in the Ogan Komering Ilir Regency. It took 6 months to finish the research, from August 2005 to February 2006. The method used in collecting the data was by using questionnaires distributed among the staffs of the Cooperative of PMU and sample
farmers consisting of 50 households acting as the respondents. The research results in the following findings: The width of the
rubber plantation which was turned into Kimbun area is 24,922 hectares, 9,040 hectares of which is in the Regency of Ogan Komering Ulu and 15,882 hectares is in the Regency of Ogan Komering Ilir. The number of members of the Cooperative increases by 47, from 1,000 to 1,047 people. The
total amount of the members’ saving is Rp 60,350,000 which consists of Capital Saving and Required Saving. The portion of the Cooperative PMU’s shares at the rubber factory remained unchanged at 20% out of the total shares belonging to the factory. The ages of the sample farmers range from 30 to 65 years old, with the productive ages range from 30 to 50 years consists of 43 household heads (86%). The levels of education of the sample farmers range from Elementary graduates to Senior High School graduates, with the largest portion consists of Elementary School graduates, namely 31 household heads (62%). The number of family members varies from 3 to 9 people, the largest portion consists of families with 4 members, namely 17 household heads (34%). The ability of the Cooperative PMU to carry out the collecting and marketing of bokar is on the
average of 42,42% out of the total production capacity of the factory in the period from September 2002 up to December 2004. The
analysis of the Rating Scale shows the average score of about 2.39. This indicates that the ability is at the low level. While the contribution of
income gained from collecting and marketing bokar towards the total income of the Cooperative PMU in the period of 2001 up to 2004 is at the average of 92.57%. The analysis of the Rating Scale shows the average score on the average of 3.5. It means that the level of contribution is very high. Additional income gained by the farmers is only from the rest of the business benefits of the past year (SHU) of the Cooperative, while the devidend is not yet distributed. The SHU of the Cooperative of Panca Mitra Usaha contributes to the increase of income of the farmers at 1.11 to 1.32% with the average of 1.23%. The analysis of the Rating Scale shows the average score on the average of 1,0. This indicates that the addition or improvement of the farmers’ income is very low. The assessment of the performance of Kimbun Karet Mesuji was done by using Likert Scale, namely to the Cooperative of PMU and the MAKP Company. The result of the analysis of performance of the Cooperative of PMU shows the score on the average of 2.84 which means that it is adequately good. While the analysis of the performance of the MAKP Company results in the score on the average of 1.84 which indicates that it is not good enough.
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