Coconut, which has
been widely cultivated by people, was eyed by two companies, namely Salim Group
and Unilever. The two companies have now developed superior coconut seedlings
in North Sulawesi. Novarianto Hengky, Research Specialist of Plantation
Research center, stated his.
Unilever developed coconut because
it has difficulty in getting coconut sugar for say sauce industry according to
the desired quality specifications.
Today, with he increasing number of
large companies entering the soy sauce industry, the demand for brown sugar
sauce that meets industry quality standards in increasing. The problem is that
brown sugar made by artisans is relatively fixed.
Increase in demand is not followed
by production increase. Many people are no longer interested in becoming palm
tree tappers. Every year it is estimated that 70 tappers died or injured
because of falling from the height of a coconut tree.
Therefore, now Unilever is concentrating
on efforts to produce hybrid coconut whose fruit/sap production is high and its
stem is short. With a relatively short hybrid coconut palm trees, there is no
need to climb, and tapping is not too difficult.
Meanwhile, Salim is concentrating on
coconuts with oil contents for the development of downstream industries.
Currently, products derived from coconut oil are needed by the food &
beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. These products are of high
economic value so that Salim group is dealing with research very seriously.
All coconut stakeholders who are
members of the Indonesian Coconut Board have determined to realize
Coconut-Based Sustainable Bioindustry Agriculture Development. The Indonesian
Coconut Board members consist of government, researchers, academicians,
business both farmers and processing industry, and traders.
Coconut bioindustry is target to
produce a variety of high-value, environmentally friendly, and sustainable
coconut products by applying various components superior technology. In the
upstream, farmers’ coconut plantations to increase income need a horizontal
diversification by planting intercropped plants, namely coffee, cocoa, areca
nut, and coconut & livestock integration. In this way, income and welfare
of farmers will increase.
Coconut bioindustry development
should proper coconut farmers through optimal product diversification, meeting
the needs of consumers, a balanced benefit from upstream to downstream, price
stability, and support environmental, monetary & fiscal policies.
Currently, coconut policy expected
from the government which is urgent to be implemented immediately is
acceleration of coconut plant rejuvenation with superior seeds, development of
high value-added coconut industry and marketing of the products.
Currently, like other agricultural
commodities, problems faced by farmers are declining copra prices. Without the
development of coconut bioindustry, the coconut industry could die. Hence, the
development of the coconut bioindustry will be implemented in a short time.
Coconut, until today, is one of the
commodities that have an important role in the commodities that have an
important role in the life of Indonesia society. All parts of this plant can be
used to meet economic, social and cultural needs.
One of the problems of coconut at
the farm level is low coconut productivity at the farm level, which is only 1.2
tons of copra per hectare/year. This is because of not using superior seeds and
non-optimal application of farming techniques by farmers. The potential for
superior coconut production can reach 3-4 tons of copra per hectare/year.
So, currently the efforts that are
continuously made by the Coconut must have high oil content, i.e. about 60% and
8% protein % to be used as industrial raw material.
With oil and protein content
according to standard, it can be used as an industrial raw material, coconut
milk, and desiccated coconut. Coconut husk and shell should be relatively good
for car seats, mattresses and others. Coconut shell is used in activated
charcoal industry, while coconut water is used for soft drink and nata de coco
industries. (E)
Business News - May 27, 2015
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