Agricom.id, JAKARTA – In order that durian lovers or known as the ‘the king of tropical fruit’ lovers could enjoy and buy it during the corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic, ministry of agriculture would help the durian farmers to innovate in its development and marketing.

Knowing this, Director of Horticulture Marketing and Processing, Ministry of Agriculture, Yasid Taufik emphasized that his side would facilitate them to sell their products in the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Do not worry. The people could still eat fresh durian directly from the farmers. They could order it via online, pasar tani, or the start-up which are in cooperation with ministry of agriculture. We would also support to develop the downstream in the process,” he said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

Just like what Solihin (46) does, the durian entrepreneur and farmer who develops agro-tourism - area of durian in Dusun Pakis, Village of Songgon, Sub district of Songgon, District of Banyuwangi.

His durian collection plantation called Likin Durian Agrotourism, or known as Durian Garden Likin is designed as the special spot to enjoy, eat durian within natural circumstances.

“The visitors could get the exotic durian within the characteristic of Banyuwangi directly from the tree and eat it under the tree. We have 31 trees of durian which are more than 50 years,” he said, Tuesday (28/4/2020).

He also mentioned that in the Covid-19 pandemic, the visitors who directly come to the garden drastically reduced. To solve it, he markets the durian through online delivery order.

What he does is the same with what Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) told. SYL suggested that the marketing innovation of the agriculture commodity should advantage the information technology by increasing the quality and quantity of the commodity to sell.

“Normally, there would be 1.000 visitors in a day or at least, 300 men. But because of the Covid-19, they are less, just the local ones,” he said.

Within the spirit, Likin, his familiar name tried to offer durian of Banyuwangi through the media, such as, whatapp groups. He mentioned that the response is good enough.

“In every single day, I could send the package 100 to 200 kilograms to many regions, such as, Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek), Sumatera, Kalimantan, Bandung and to Papua,” he mentioned.

He thought that he does the best to keep the quality good. He himself should really select the delivery service. “What I always sell is the durian which falls from the tree. The delivery should use plane from Blimbingsari Banyuwangi Airport because I prioritize the quality. It is the best to eat not more than 6 hours,” he explained.

He also mentioned that the tight control strategy to the durian makes it more expensive than the general durian. “Yes, it is more expensive. But it is the same with the quality,” he said.

The durian which grows in the slope of Raung Mountain has many kinds, such as, endemic of Banyuwangi - durian merah, oranye, pelangi, and kuning; and other kinds which grow for tens of years.

This makes the characteristic of durian from Songgon is different from the other. The durian lovers never miss tasting it when visiting Banyuwangi. The unique is that besides being fresh, Likin also prepares durian bakar, namely for those who want to reduce the cholesterol substance in it.

Meanwhile Director of Fruit and Floriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Liferdi Lukman said that his side does the best to help the fruit farmers could exist in the pandemic of Covid-19. He thought that in general the fruit demands increase both in the domestic and in the foreign countries, namely durian.

“In every year, we allocate the fund to develop durian in regions through the National Expenditure within the corporate region in economic scale – concept. Since 2006 to 2019 it is not less than 6.400 hectares. Besides developing the production regions, General Directorate of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture would keep managing the existing plantations,” he said.

Based on the central bureau of statistic (CBS), the durian production nationally reached 1.169.802 tons or increased 27.707 tons (2.43%) compared to 2018. The durian centers are mostly in East Java within the production 289.334 tons, Central Java within 172.939 tons, West Java within 94.183 tons, North Sumatera within 90.105 tons, West Sumatera within 62.564 tons, Banten within 46.436 tons, and South Sulawesi within 45.729 tons.

In District of Banyuwangi for special, the durian centers are in Sub district of Songgon, Kalipuro, Giri, Glagah, and Sempu within the production reaching 2.280 tons in a year. In every year, there is hardly harvest though it is in small numbers. But the massive harvest would take place in every February to April. (A2)