The Pellerijen — rice mills — were the rice-hulling mills prescribed by the 1923 brochure of the [[Atjeh-Instituut|Atjeh-Instituut] as the second of the three prerequisites of rijstbouw as an export article (the other two being a suitable rice variety and a sales organisation). The brochure gives a detailed capital and operating account of a small pellerij, and prescribes the distribution of small pellerijen through the rice-producing centres rather than a few large enterprises.
The 1916 Pidië Plan
In Pidië, in 1916, all preparations for the establishment of a pellerij had been made, but the pellerij did not come about because of the departure of the supervising official. One reckoned then that, with the help of the power engines of the existing gas factory, ice factory, and cinema at [[Sigli|Sigli], a rice mill could also be driven. This was acquired by the Luitenant-Chinees at Koeta-Radja, while the cooperation of some rice-traders was secured, who collectively would deliver 100 picol of padi daily to the mill for hulling, and who would themselves also provide for the sale of the hulled rice — so that the supply and the sale of the rice were secured to that quantity and the business ran no risk.
The 1923 Prescription
The Atjeh-Instituut brochure of 1923, in the new design based on a rice variety destined for export, goes from other assumptions and one should try to do without the intervention of traders. The sums needed for the establishment of pellerijen should therefore preferably be gathered by wealthy Atjèhers. Whoever formerly advanced money to pepper-planters has now the opportunity to invest his money in rice mills. If the rice-planting population only brings its product to the mill, the yield of the capital invested therein is accounted for.
The Capital and Operating Account
A capacity of 1.5 tons per hour of hulled rice requires an installation such as is found in British Indië in the small “small mills” and is supplied by some factories; this installation yields, at 300 days of 10 working hours, 4,500 tons of rice annually. The price of this installation with motor can, c.i.f. Atjèh-haven, momentaneously be set at ƒ25,000. For the further transport, the setting, as well as the building of machine-house, pellerij, goedangs, and emplacement, an amount of ƒ10,000 is to be reckoned, so that the capital expenditure would amount to ƒ35,000.
Over this amount a gross profit would have to be made annually of 25 per cent for interest, depreciation, maintenance, etc., that is ƒ9,000; wherein to reckon for pure operating costs (fuel, wages, etc.) an amount of ƒ6,000; so that the annual income would have to amount to ƒ15,000. At a delivered quantity of rice of 4,500 tons — i.e. 45,000 sacks or 75,000 picol — the costs therefore amount to ƒ0.30 per sack or ƒ0.20 per picol, an amount so small that the viability of the business therewith is well proven. Even at much lower production, for example only one-third of the possible quantity, the costs per sack amount to only ƒ0.70 and per picol ƒ0.50, since then the operating costs diminish importantly.
The Distribution
To make the supply and removal of the rice to and from the pellerij easy, it happens that a number of small pellerijen is to be preferred above a few large enterprises; besides, one could begin, by way of experiment, with the establishment of one pellerij, which later could be followed by more others, in other rice-producing centres. As regards the nature of the business, it is noted that, where water power is lacking in the rice-cultivating centres, motor driving seems most practical; experiments with steam engines, partly stoked with padi waste, have not yielded a favourable result for small pellerijen. The product to be delivered will be the simply hulled rice, and for the present one need not proceed to the polishing of the rice, so that not only a product more conducive to health is obtained, but also the yield is greater and the installation less costly.
The Sales Organisation
The sale of the product need not cause concern. A single sales contract with the Oostkust guarantees the market price of the product for each quantity delivered at [[Medan|Medan]. Naturally, the Oostkust will only conclude such a contract when the organisation of the Atjèhse rice mills is such that the supply of the required rice variety and the excellent working can be guaranteed; and it therefore seems unavoidable that the pellerijen will have to work under a contrôle to be instituted by the administration.
Significance
The pellerijen are, in the prescription of the Atjeh-Instituut brochure of 1923, the second of the three prerequisites of rijstbouw as an export article (the other two being a suitable rice variety and a sales organisation). The detailed capital and operating account — a small pellerij of 1.5 tons per hour capacity, costing ƒ35,000, yielding 4,500 tons annually at ƒ0.20 per picol — is the principal Dutch agricultural-industrial prescription for the post-war economic development of Atjèh. The 1916 Pidië plan, frustrated by the departure of the supervising official, was the principal Dutch antecedent of the 1923 prescription.
See Also
- Rijstbouw
- De Rijkdom van Atjeh (1923)
- Atjeh-Instituut
- Atjehsche Landbouw Vereeniging
- Carolina-rijst
- Pidië
- Sigli
- Koeta Radja
- Medan
- Cultuurgebied Oostkust van Sumatra
- 1916
- 1923
Source
De Rijkdom van Atjeh, uitgegeven door het Atjeh-Instituut, Amsterdam, 1923. OCR-filename: 20260718_105749_DLP-110-De_rijkdom_van_Atjeh_Nemotron-OCR-v2_OCR.txt, pp. 16–20.