The agricultural technology in improving the smallholder rubber quality in Tapanuli,  1906 – 1942

Edi Sumarno; Junita Setiana Ginting; Nina Karina; M. Azis Rizky Lubis

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2025288

Keywords:

smallholder rubber

Tapanuli

agricultural technology

quality

profit

Abstract

Generally, the quality of smallholder rubber in Tapanuli in the colonial period showed good quality compared to other production areas in the Dutch East Indies. This region is located in the western part of Sumatra, which means it does not face directly with the center of the Southeast Asian rubber market, which is Peninsular Malaysia, especially in Penang and Singapore. Each region in Tapanuli has a characteristic type of processed rubber. These characteristics reveal from which areas the processed rubber originated, such as Mandailing-Kuken, Loka-Lokan, Smoked Sheet (in small amounts), and the one with the best quality was CrepeSheet. This study discusses agricultural technology used in connection with the efforts to improve the quality of smallholder rubber in the Tapanuli Residency in the colonial period, the agricultural technology used, and the reasons behind the need for production quality. This study employed qualitative approach through historical research methods. Both primary and secondary data were collected through observation, supplemented by visits to relevant institutions, including the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia and the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia. From the data, it can be concluded that the relatively far geographical location requires farmers to produce rubber with good quality in order to minimize transportation costs. The minimization of transportation costs is intended to benefit from the production of rubber plants. This quality assurance is carried out using simple but relatively good agricultural technology tools, such as tapping knives, latex storage devices, good latex coagulants, and slab grinding tools, to dry and fuse sheets.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Sumarno, E., Ginting, J. S., Karina, N., & Lubis, M. A. R. (2024). The agricultural technology in improving the smallholder rubber quality in Tapanuli, 1906 – 1942. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 7(6), 2025288. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025288

[1] Alauddin. (1969). Karet dan Penyadap. People’s Plantation Service Provinsi Daerah Istimewa Aceh.

[2] Anatona, A. (2024). Between laborer and slave: The fate of contract coolies in colonial East Sumatra Plantation. Andalas International Journal of Socio-Humanities, 6(1), 53–60. https://doi.org/10.25077/aijosh.v6i1.65

[3] Elvira, M., Molina, F. G. J., & Van der Veer, A. (2023). Women in the middle of the wild life in the East Sumatra Plantation 1880-1940. HUMANISMA : Journal of Gender Studies, 7(1), 91–100. https://doi.org/10.30983/humanisme.v7i1.6276

[4] Fourteenth Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1933). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[5] Gelder, A. van. (1950). Bevolkingsrubbercutuur dalam C.J.J. van Haal, et al., De LandbouwIn de IndischeArchipel. W. van Hoeve.

[6] Harahap, A., Rivai, M., Fimansyah, W., Syahfitri, N., Sitorus, F., & Zahra, K. (2021). Esplanade (Merdeka Square) of Medan City as a Symbol of Colonial City Civilization. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Innovation in Education, Science and Culture, ICIESC 2021, 31 August 2021, Medan, North Sumatera Province, Indonesia. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Innovation in Education, Science and Culture, ICIESC 2021, 31 August 2021, Medan, North Sumatera Province, Indonesia, Medan, Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.31-8-2021.2313731

[7] Inagurasi, L. H. (2014). Pola pemukiman kawasan perkebunan karet masa Hindia Belanda di Bogor. Amerta, 32(1), 49–62.

[8] Itawan, D. (2022). Perkembangan aspek ilmu pengetahuan dalam industri perkebunan di Sumatra Timur 1863-1942. Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya, 12(3), 233–245. https://doi.org/10.17510/paradigma.v12i3.1068

[9] Itawan, D. (2023). Ekspansi perkebunan dan pertumbuhan penduduk di Sumatra Timur, 1863-1942. Handep: Jurnal Sejarah dan Budaya, 6(2), 109–129. https://doi.org/10.33652/handep.v6i2.350

[10] Mohtar, O. (2021). From plantation products transportation to human transportation: The history of high speed railway in Dutch East Indies 1929-1942. Walasuji : Jurnal Sejarah dan Budaya, 12(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.36869/wjsb.v12i1.194

[11] Mubyarto, A. S. D. (1991). Karet Kajian Sosial – Ekonomi. Aditya Media.

[12] Mvo (Memorie van Overgave) de Residentie Tapanoeli, B. E. W. C. S. (1920). Oud Asistent-Resident (BoekII).

[13] Native Rubber Report for Second Half-year. (1939). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[14] Ninth Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1932). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[15] P. Brook, C., & H. W. J., D. (1926). De Bevolkingsrubbercultuur in Nederlandsch- Indië, V. Tapanoeli en Sumatra’s Westkust. Landsdrukkerij.

[16] Pemimpin Tani. (1928). Memperboeat Getah Kampoeng di Tapanuli.

[17] Riskita, A. N., Putri, L. A., Muris, D. P., Wahyuni Solin, S. G., & Riski Malau, B. E. (2023). Wage system given by plantation lords to contract coolie workers In East Sumatra. Riwayat: Educational Journal of History and Humanities, 6(2), 630–639. https://doi.org/10.24815/jr.v6i2.31451

[18] Sarkar, S. (2024). Growth and challenges of rubber plantation in the Northeastern States of India. Journal of Global Economy, 20(1), 13–18.

[19] Siregar, D. S., & Yasmin, N. (2023). Sultan, plantations, and Islam: Dynamics of social-political life in East Sumatra (1900-1942). Yupa: Historical Studies Journal, 7(2), 147–160. https://doi.org/10.30872/yupa.vi0.2354

[20] Sixth Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1931). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[21] Stibbe, D. G., & Uhlenbeck, E. M. (1921). Encyclopaedi van Nederlandsch-Indie. Martinus Nijhof.

[22] Sulistiyono, S. T., Rochwulaningsih, Y., Masruroh, N. N., Zainol, S., & Barus, S. (2022). Capitalism, plantation industry, and environmental change: East Sumatra during the late Dutch colonial state in Indonesia. E3S Web of Conferences, 359, 04002. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202235904002

[23] Sumarno, E. (1998). Perkebunan Karet Rakyat di Sumatera Timur 1863-1942. Universitas Gajah Mada.

[24] Tenth Report on Native Rubber. (1932). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[25] Third Report on Native Rubber. (1929). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[26] Thirteenth Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1933). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[27] Twenty-fifth Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1936). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[28] Twenty-first Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1935). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[29] Twenty-forth Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1936). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[30] Twenty-ninth Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1937). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[31] Twenty-seventh Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1936). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[32] Twenty-third Report on Native Rubber Cultivation. (1935). The Bulletin Rubber Growers Association.

[33] Verslag, V. (1937). De Handelsverenigingte Medan. Over het Jaar.

[34] Verslag, V. (1939). Handelsverenigingte Medan. Over het Jaar.

[35] Wicaksono, B. (2021). Migrasi orang Jawa ke Asahan pada masa kolonial. MUKADIMAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, Sejarah, dan Ilmu-ilmu Sosial, 5(1), 54–62. https://doi.org/10.30743/mkd.v5i1.3439

Abstract

References

How to cite