Indonesian Palm Oil News (IPO News), Jakarta — The name Haji Abdul Rasyid AS has become closely associated with the development of the palm oil industry in Central Kalimantan. Through Citra Borneo Indah (CBI) Group, the business ecosystem he has built has expanded beyond plantations into downstream industries, maritime logistics, industrial estates, cattle farming, property development, and research and development.

This scale makes Haji Abdul Rasyid’s business journey interesting not only from the perspective of plantation development, but also in terms of how an upstream palm oil business can be developed into an integrated ecosystem stretching from plantations to downstream products.

Haji Abdul Rasyid serves as Chairman and Owner of CBI Group and is recorded as the ultimate beneficial owner of PT Citra Borneo Utama Tbk (CBU). Meanwhile, CBI is the largest shareholder of PT Sawit Sumbermas Sarana Tbk (SSMS).

From Plantations to an Integrated Ecosystem

One of the key strengths of CBI Group is the integration between its plantation operations and downstream industries.

Through SSMS, the group manages 23 plantations covering a total area of 115,881 hectares, with fresh fruit bunches (FFB) production of approximately 1.8 million tons per year, according to information provided by CBI Group. The company also states that its plantation operations have obtained RSPO and ISPO certifications.

On the downstream side, CBU plays an important role in the value chain. CBI Group reports that CBU has processing capacity of approximately 850,000 tons per year, along with a Kernel Crushing Plant (KCP) with a capacity of 180,000 tons per year.

As a result, the business does not stop at the production of FFB and CPO. Palm oil can be further processed through various stages to create higher-value products for both domestic and international markets.

Expanding Beyond Palm Oil

Interestingly, CBI Group’s business ecosystem is not solely dependent on plantations and palm oil processing. CBI Group currently describes itself as having seven integrated business units, covering palm oil plantations, downstream industries, maritime logistics, industrial estates, cattle farming, property development, and research and development.

In maritime logistics, for example, PT Pelayaran Lingga Marintama operates 22 vessels to support sea transportation. Meanwhile, PT Surya Borneo Industri is developing an industrial estate covering 137.19 hectares. In the livestock sector, PT Sulung Ranch has developed an integrated cattle-farming concept linked to oil palm plantations. Meanwhile, Sulung Research Station has been developed as a research center utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to support plantation innovation.

This cross sector expansion indicates that CBI’s business strategy is not simply focused on increasing plantation acreage, but also on developing supporting infrastructure and economic activities around its core business value chain.

National Recognition

Haji Abdul Rasyid’s business journey has also received national recognition. In August 2025, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto awarded Haji Abdul Rasyid AS the Bintang Mahaputera Pratama, one of the country’s national honors. SSMS’s corporate report identifies him as Chairman and Owner of CBI Group and the company’s largest shareholder.

The award represents an important milestone in the journey of the businessman from Kalimantan, whose activities have expanded beyond plantation operations into a broader business ecosystem.

Upstream-Downstream Integration as a Business Strength

The business model developed by Haji Abdul Rasyid highlights the importance of integration in the palm oil industry. Plantations provide the raw material, processing facilities create additional value, while logistics and industrial infrastructure support the supply chain. At the same time, research and development are directed toward improving productivity and the adoption of technology.

For Indonesia’s palm oil industry, this approach is increasingly relevant as the challenges facing the sector extend beyond FFB and CPO production to include downstream development, efficiency, sustainability, technology and access to global markets.

CBI Group states that it is committed to integrating sustainability into its business activities. The group also places communities, the environment, prosperity, peace and partnerships among the key elements of its sustainability approach.

From Kalimantan to Broader Markets

Haji Abdul Rasyid’s journey illustrates how a palm oil business in Kalimantan can develop into a broader business ecosystem with an increasingly extensive value chain. From plantations covering more than 115,000 hectares, annual FFB production of millions of tons, processing and kernel-crushing facilities, to maritime logistics, industrial estates and research, CBI Group today represents a business structure that extends well beyond a conventional plantation company.

For Indonesian Palm Oil News (IPO NEWS), the development is worth following because the direction of Haji Abdul Rasyid’s businesses reflects an important trend in Indonesia’s palm oil industry: how strength in the upstream sector can be developed into an integrated industry capable of generating greater value within Indonesia.

Muslim M. Amin
Editor in Chief
Indonesian Palm Oil News (IPO NEWS)

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