Probolinggo Regency in East Java, facilitated by PT Probolinggo Big Power, marked a significant milestone by officially exporting 57 tons of konjac powder, also known as porang flour, to China. The inaugural export ceremony featured traditional elements like tumpeng cutting, gong striking, and jasmine garland cutting, overseen by Sahat Manaor Panggabean, the Head of the Indonesian Quarantine Agency, accompanied by Ahmad Hasyim Ashari, the Assistant for Economy and Development of the Probolinggo Regency Secretary. Sahat Panggabean highlighted the positive start with the reopening of the Chinese market, a major buyer, and emphasised the resurgence of porang as an export favourite. He explained that the export of konjac powder to the Chinese market had faced a hiatus due to unilateral implementation of food safety laws in 2020. Immediate corrective actions were taken collaboratively by relevant authorities, adhering to agreed-upon protocols for assessing the suitability of porang flour export facilities and company registrations. The resumption of the konjac powder market in China follows the signing of the Porang Flour Export Protocol, a result of the meeting between President Joko Widodo and President Xi Jinping on July 27, 2023.
He emphasised the need for cooperation at both central and regional levels to educate farmers about Indonesia's unique and export-worthy commodity, porang plants. Encouraging farmers to cultivate porang as an export commodity can boost the nation's agricultural exports. Looking ahead, Sahat Panggabean scheduled a meeting with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) to address technical barriers in agricultural and fisheries exports, aiming to expand the volume and variety of Indonesian exports to China. Nursiyah, the Director of Probolinggo Big Power, expressed gratitude for the government's assistance and guidance through the Indonesian Quarantine Agency, pledging to maintain the quality and quantity of konjac powder production and diversify their product range. Ahmad Hasyim Ashari acknowledged the positive impact of porang cultivation on the local economy, reducing poverty and unemployment rates in the Probolinggo Regency. He expressed hope for an increase in porang prices at the farmer level and highlighted the simplicity of cultivating porang, which involves sowing seeds and allowing them to grow for two years before harvesting.
