Jakarta – In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Agriculture remains consistent and continues to boost the production and export of plantation commodities, especially coconut derivative products, especially coconut charcoal, in the context of accelerating the 3-fold Export Increase Movement (Gratieks) until 2024.
“Coconut charcoal is widely used in addition to medicinal and pharmaceutical ingredients, it is also used as fuel for shisha/hookah or Arabic cigarettes in the Middle East Region, while in the European Region it is used as BBQ/barbaque fuel,” said Kasdi Subagyono, Director General of Plantations.
Kasdi added, Indonesia’s coconut potential as the world’s number 1 producer needs to be utilized by strengthening downstream production in coconut derivative products that can provide added value directly to farmers and expand market access.
As BPS data processed by the Directorate General. Plantations in 2019 that exports of Indonesian coconut charcoal including coconut charcoal amounted to 188.05 thousand tons with an export value of USD 145.09 million. “Most Indonesian coconut charcoal products are exported to China, Brazil, Germany, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam,” he added.
One of the business actors or the coconut charcoal processing industry, PT. Tom Cococha Indonesia, which is located in Tujurhalang, Bogor, will continue to produce from March to April 2020 to meet European and Middle Eastern market demand.
Currently according to Asep Jembar Mulyana, Main Director of PT. Tom Cococha Indonesia, the supply of raw materials is still smooth and most of it is obtained from coconut farmers in the Tembilahan area, Indragiri Hilir Regency, Riau. “Raw materials continue to be sent in 2-3 trucks per day to fulfill export orders for the next few months. So far, the export volume has reached 500 tons/month and will be increased to 1,000 tons/month,” he said.
Furthermore, it is known from Asep Jembar, that on April 6 2020 a stuffing container was carried out for export to Belgium with a volume of 18 tons, on April 7 2020 stuffing was carried out for the Iraqi export market and a number of countries in Europe with a volume of 45 tons, while on April 8 In 2020, 18 tons of export stuffing containers were carried out to Valencia, Spain.
“The need for coconut charcoal or briquettes is very prospective and has the potential for market expansion, because until now the world’s briquette products, especially BBQ are still dominated by wood charcoal, and developed countries which are the biggest consumers of this product are very aware of how much damage the forests or trees have caused. felled for charcoal briquettes. So that in the future, the potential for Coconut Charcoal can be a substitute product for wood charcoal which does not damage nature and is safe for the environment,” said Kasdi.
Kasdi stated that it was necessary to expand market access for the export of coconut charcoal and other coconut derivative products with high added value but not yet developed in Indonesia, such as VCO, Desiccated Coconut, Coconut Coir, Liquid Smoke, Isotonic Water, CCO and Coconut Cooking Oil. Currently, Indonesia exports more raw or semi-finished products such as copra, then the process of added value is carried out by other countries.
source : https://www.pertanian.go.id/home/?show=news&act=view&id=4294
