PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, stated that the internal meeting on Wednesday (10/7/2024) at Istana Merdeka also covered discussions on coconut and cocoa plantation cultivation.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) directed the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA) to take on additional duties, including replanting and developing these two industries.
“The most important thing is that smallholders should receive seeds from universities or research agencies funded by PFMA. This means that the focus will not only be on palm oil but also on revitalizing cocoa and coconut,” Airlangga said in an official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com on Thursday (11/7/2024).
He further explained that there would be additional facilities to support cocoa farmers undergoing revitalization, with the government encouraging research and development in this area.
This would be about to escalate cocoa production locally by developing cocoa industries that would involve the farmers to fulfill cocoa needs nationally.
Central Bureau of Statistic revealed that cocoa production in Indonesia reached 641,7 thousand tons in 2023.
The cocoa needs derived from the local that reached 45% only. The rests were imported. “That is why it would be significant to replant cocoa plantation to escalate or return the production, perhaps, double it,” Airlangga said.
Besides discussing cocoa and coconut, he also said that the internal meeting discussed about bioethanol. PT Pertamina would study to produce low sulfur gasoline.
“The test was in E5 (Ethanol 5%). Now PT Pertamina would stud to procure the ethanol. We have the roadmap to produce and develop ethanol in Papua, Merauke. And we would re-study it,” he said. (P2)
