Merauke farmer expands rice production via micro-financing

Mur Dwi Astuti, a farmer in Merauke, Papua, has successfully expanded her rice farming operations through various micro-financing stages supported by the Ultra Micro Holding.

Initially, she utilized gold pawn services at Pegadaian to manage her financial needs and learn money management. As her business grew, she transitioned to using BRI's KUR Mikro (Micro People's Business Credit), which allowed her to expand her cultivated land from one hectare to three hectares.

Despite this growth, Mur faces ongoing agricultural challenges, including unpredictable weather, water scarcity during the dry season, and pest attacks. She noted that crop yields are heavily dependent on seasonal conditions. The KUR Mikro scheme was particularly beneficial because it did not require additional collateral and provided direct assistance from BRI officers.