Agricom.id, JAKARTA – Deputy in Agribusiness and Food Coordination, Coordinator Ministry in Economy, Musdhalifah Macmud said that the local fruit exports significantly increased during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In January to May, the fruit exports increased 357 thousand tons. The additional values did too reaching 73,4 percent. This is the chance and challenge also to increase our fruit production,” she said when joining webinar about Gerakan Konsumsi Buah Nusantara dalam Rangka Menguatkam Bangga Buatan Indonesia, Monday (10/8) as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

For information, the gross domestic product of agriculture increased 16,24 percent in the second quarter of 2020 (q to q). It positively contributed 2,19 percent year on year (yoy). It happened for the good support from the food sub sector reaching 34,77 percent, horticulture reaching 21,75 percent, and the plantation reaching 23,46 percent.

She thought that coordinator ministry in economy noted that the biggest exports (in row) were to Vietnam reaching 27 percent, Malaysia reaching 19 percent, China reaching 17 percent, India reaching 10 percent, Hong Kong reaching 6 percent, Thailand reaching 6 percent, and UEA reaching 3 percent.

"It needs the huge leap to wake the ‘sleeping giant’ through gelar buah nusantara,” she said.

She also mentioned that the government is developing the horticulture agribusiness in many ways, such as, by involving some ministries, such as, ministry of agriculture, and ministry of trade.

"Ministry of agriculture should encourage the fruit region, do triple export, subsidize the food logistic transport cost, develop pasar mitra tani and toko tani in many provinces,” she said.

Director of Institut Pertanian Bogor, Arif Satria said that it massively needs technology to develop the fruits nationally to accelerate the transformation.

“It is the moment and Covid-19 pandemic would influence and we should be committed to realize food, fruit, and horticulture independency,” he said.

Steering Committee of Horticulture Development, Indonesian Chambers, Karen Tambayong told that Indonesia has 266 kinds of fruit and the farmers cultivate few numbers only.

“We have the big chance to bisbul, persimmon, keledang, matao, tampoi, lahung, guava, kelubi, and others. We need to cultivate those,” Karen told.

Karen also hoped that the universities, the stakeholders, the farmers, and the government could collaborate and be in synergy to increase the quality, quantity and continuity to produce the fruits nationally within the latest technology based on the market preference.

“We have to start prioritizing the horticulture, socializing, increasing the fruit consumption, investing, and increasing the exports,” she said. (A2)