SPKS and PFMA Encourage the Use of Palm-based SME Products in Labuan Bajo

Palm Oil Magazine
The Palm Oil Farmers Union (SPKS) together with the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS) held a Workshop “Introduction of Palm Oil-Based MSME Products to Tourism Players in Labuan Bajo Premium Destinations. Photo by: Special

PALMOILMAGAZINE, LABUAN BAJO – In order to introduce the products of Small, Medium, and Cooperative Enterprises (SMEs). The Palm Oil Farmers Union (SPKS) together with the Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency (PFMA/BPDPKS) held a Workshop “Introduction of Palm Oil-Based MSME Products to Tourism Players in Labuan Bajo Premium Destinations.” The event took place in Labuan Bajo at the end of September 2024, with the aim of encouraging collaboration between palm oil SMEs and the local tourism sector.

In recent years, various palm-based products have been developed by oil palm smallholder cooperatives across Indonesia. Through support from SPKS and BPDPKS, these products have begun to penetrate new markets, including potential tourist destinations such as Labuan Bajo. This workshop aims to bring together MSME business players from West Manggarai and Manggarai with the tourism sector in Labuan Bajo, in order to expand the market for palm MSME products.

Read More

Various stakeholders attended this event, including MSME players from the West Manggarai Regency, the Head of the West Manggarai Employment, Cooperative and MSME Office, the Head of the BPDPKS UKMK Division, palm MSME practitioners, and representatives from the West Manggarai Kadin.

Also Read: 

SPKS National Chairman Sabarudin emphasized the importance of introducing downstream palm oil products to the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), especially in Labuan Bajo. Although palm oil is not grown in the region, Sabarudin highlighted the large contribution of the people of NTT to the national palm oil industry as laborers in various oil palm plantations throughout Indonesia.

“So far, the people of NTT know palm oil as a job opportunity. However, through this event, we want to introduce palm oil downstream products such as palm dodol, palm chips, shredded palm mushroom, to perfume and other handicrafts,” Sabarudin explained in an official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com, Thursday (3/10/2024).

This workshop is also a place to encourage cooperation between palm oil MSME products and business actors in the Labuan Bajo tourism sector. SPKS and BPDPKS hope that this event can strengthen the relationship between local business actors, the government, and palm oil MSMEs to develop the trade sector of palm oil derivative products in premium tourist destinations such as Labuan Bajo.

Head of the SME Division of BPDPKS, Helmi Muhansyah, also revealed that palm oil products are not only limited to cooking oil, but there are many derivative products that are used daily by the community. “Palm oil is not just about cooking oil, but there are many derivative products that contribute greatly to the national economy. In August, exports of palm oil products and their derivatives reached US$ 1.7 billion in one month,” Helmi said.

BPDPKS, according to Helmi, has trained oil palm farmers who are members of cooperatives to produce SMEK products such as cosmetics and handicrafts, which are now ready to be introduced to a wider market, including in premium tourist destinations such as Labuan Bajo.

Head of the West Manggarai Manpower, Cooperatives and MSME Agency, drh. Theresia Primadona Asmom, welcomed the initiative of SPKS and BPDPKS. Although West Manggarai has no oil palm plantations, more than 7,000 people from the region work in the oil palm sector outside the region. Theresia hopes that this collaboration can encourage innovation for tourism players in Labuan Bajo, as well as create synergies between typical Manggarai products and palm oil.

The Chairman of the West Manggarai Chamber of Commerce, Ignasius Charles Angliwarman, also expressed his support for the development of collaboration between the palm oil MSME sector and tourism in Labuan Bajo. “We continue to encourage tourism to have a positive impact on the community’s economy. The collaboration between Kadin, palm oil farmers, and tourism businesses is a strategic step to strengthen the trade sector in Labuan Bajo,” Ignasius said.

Through this workshop, it is hoped that collaboration between farmers, entrepreneurs, and the government can continue to grow, and improve the welfare of the community through palm oil-based MSME products. Kadin Manggarai Barat is committed to facilitating this collaboration, in order to create a stronger and more sustainable market for palm oil products in Labuan Bajo. (P2)

READ MORE ON GOOGLE NEWS. or Let's join the Telegram group "Palm Oil Magazine", click the link Channel PalmOilMagazine, and join. You must first install the Telegram application on your android.

Related posts

Leave a Reply