Source: TEMPO Magazine, TEMPOInteractive.com, Jakarta
Friday, 09 April, 2010 | 17:08 WIB
Despite the large potential, the market for coconut export, especially to China, has not been adequately managed by the government yet. “China needs coconut water as a replacement for dairy milk,” Indonesian Coconut Forum chairperson, Poppy Dharsono, said in Jakarta yesterday.
Poppy said Indonesia should not be left behind by the Philippines and Thailand in dealing with the Chinese market. Indonesia’s export value in 2008 amounted to US$ 944,185 million with a production of 16 billion coconuts. Meanwhile, the Philippines’ export value was worth US$ 1,493 billion with 12 billion of coconuts.
Asian and Pacific Coconut Community Market Development Officer Amrizal Idroes said the real capacity for the coconut processing industry was only 40 percent from the installed capacity due to difficulties in getting the raw material. One of the reasons was because the factory is located far from the sources of raw material.
Yet, there are many investors wanting to get into the coconut processing business in Indonesia, including Germany. “But they don’t know who to talk to about this,” Amrizal said. According to Amrizal, the government must immediately improve management in the coconut processing industry and synchronize the regulations.
“We should have a joint umbrella mechanism,” said Amrizal said, citing the Philippines’ Filipina Coconut Authority.
Industry deputy minister Alex Retraubun said the government plans to make re-industrialization programs in all sectors, including in the coconut industry. The re-industrialization policies in 2010 – 2014 are targeting a solid growth in the coconut processing industry. “This is one of Indonesia’s competency that has long been neglected,” he said.
Partly Cloudy 27 oC