Agricom.id, JAMBI - Ministry of Agriculture keeps doing the best so that the agriculture commodities, including the plantation commodities are available always. Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo did appreciate everything done both by the farmers, stakeholders, or other sides. He told that the agriculture commodities in the corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic should hit the glory or increase than those before the pandemic.

He also said that the agriculture commodity exports face anything and should be available. “We could prove that everything which is not troubled by Covid-19, which the exports keep running is the agriculture,” he said last June, as in the official written statement to Agricom.id.

District of Kerinci, Jambi Province exported the main commodity to Europe. It was Arabica coffee of Kerinci and shipped to Belgium. It was officially released by Governor of Jambi, Fachrory Umar, Tuesday (28/7/2020) for about 15,9 tons from Talang Duku Port.

Regent of Kerinci, general director of plantation, head of badan karantina pertanian, director of plantation result marketing and process, from Sucafina (Belgium coffee importer), and Rikolto, the Belgium non-government organization which developed the coffee farmers in District of Kerinci attended the export release.

General Director of Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture, Kasdi Subagyono did appreciate what Jambi Province and District of Kerinci have done to support the plantation commodity export acceleration. The coffee of District of Kerinci could be the prior commodity to export. “Through the production increasing strategy, and the additional values, General Directorate of Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture hoped that the export target of plantation commodities, such as, coffee could be realized, which is, increasing three times until 2024 as the main policy in ministry of agriculture through Gratieks (gerakan tiga kali lipat ekspor),” he said.

He also mentioned that the coffee exports in 2019 reached US$ 883 million and the targets in 2020 could be US$ 2,6 billion. Though it is in Covid-19 pandemic, the coffee exports are good new too.

Based on central bureau of statistic (CBS) the coffee exports increased 5,05% compared to those in January to May 2019. In January - May 2020 the coffee exports reached US$ 311,95, increased from US$ 296,96 in the same period last year. The export volume also did increase reaching 31,15%, from 96,57 thousand tons to be 127 thousand tons.

“We should not be proud of our achievement by the export. General Directorate of Plantation, Ministry of Agriculture would keep encouraging the farmers to improve the product quality based on what the markets demand on. The most important thing is the consistency of quality. Besides, it needs to emphasize the principles of environmental sustainability when planting, harvesting the coffee and the post-harvest process,” he said.

Director of Plantation Result Marketing and Process, Ministry of Agriculture, Dedi Junaedi said that Jambi has its potential to export the plantation commodities. Besides coffee, it has cinnamon too that many countries in European Union demand on. In its characteristic, the coffee and cinnamon of Kerinci are famously known for getting the certificate of Indikasi Geografis (IG) in 2017 and 2016. “The challenge to develop coffee in the future is not only the production, productivity, and quality but also how to create the additional values and how to make efficient chain supply,” he said.

He thought that the export would be the important moment to get the efficient production and marketing chain from the producers or groups directly to the buyers. In the future, he hoped that the exporters should notice the environmental aspects, the good agricultural practices, the traceability, the organic product standards, and others.

Head of Plantation Agency, District of Jambi, Agusrizal said that the export was the first time directly done to Belgium through Talang Duku Port, Jambi. In the previous, the export was done through Belawan Port, Medan, North Sumatera.

He thought that the coffee export consistency from Kerinci to Europe has something to do with the development and guidance to the farmers, such as, done by Rikolto to the farmers joining in the union in Kayu Aro since 2017. Rikolto develops the farmers to process the coffee based on the quality standards that the Belgium buyers and Euroopen Union want.

“The export is the form of same commitment among Provincial Government of Jambi, District of Jambi, Ministry of Agriculture, the coffee farmers’ groups in Kerinci, and the stakeholders, such as, Sucafina and Rikolto to develop coffee in District of Kerinci to be exported to Europea,” he said.

Chairman of Kelompok Tani Koperasi Koerintji Barokah Bersama, Triyono said that coffee of Kerinci which was exported consists of natural, washed, honey, anaerobic natural, and anaerobic honey treatment. His side has prepared green bean coffee in August 2020. The buyers, Sucafina is able to get coffee of Kerinci up to 40 tons per year and his side is tracing the export potential of jangkat robusta coffee in District of Merangin, Jambi. (A2)