The Kadungan Jaya Village Cooperative, under the leadership of Chairman Priyanto, has achieved a significant milestone by exporting 40 tons of grecek banana, a local variety known as pisang kepok, to Japan. This marks the cooperative's debut export to Japan, facilitated by transporting the bananas via trucks to the Balikpapan Port. Priyanto expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete in the international market, aiming to enhance farmer welfare through increased production and quality improvements. The cooperative is committed to maintaining the quality and continuity of grecek banana production to penetrate international markets further. However, challenges persist, particularly regarding inadequate access to farmland due to poor road conditions, especially during rainy seasons, significantly impacting harvest timing. Priyanto highlighted the need for road infrastructure improvements to support production processes, and proposals have been made for assistance in this regard. Meanwhile, the Head of the Kutai Timur Agriculture, Horticulture, and Animal Husbandry Office, Dyah Ratnaningrum, revealed that grecek banana plantations cover approximately 1,270 hectares across four districts. These districts include Kaliorang with 770 hectares, Kaubun with 250 hectares, Sangkulirang with 50 hectares, and Karangan with 200 hectares.
In terms of marketing, grecek bananas cater to local, regional, and international demand. Locally, they supply cities like Sangatta, Bontang, Samarinda, and Balikpapan, averaging around 30 tons per day or approximately 900 tons per month. Regionally, they are distributed to cities such as Banjarmasin, Surabaya, and Bali. Furthermore, the abundant production of grecek bananas has spurred local small and medium-sized enterprises (UMKM) to process them into various products like banana chips and cake ingredients. Despite the distance from Kutai Timur to Balikpapan Port, which serves as the departure point for exports, the cooperative is determined to meet market demand and hopes for the establishment of horticultural processing industries in Kutai Timur. The cooperative views international banana exports as a means to fulfill market demand while anticipating continued growth in export quantities in the future.
