Indonesia's Plant Quarantine Agency (Barantin) pushes for the accelerated export of Gedong Gincu mangoes following the opening of market access to Japan. Collaboration among stakeholders is essential for sustaining the export of Gedong Gincu mangoes from West Java to Japan. The opening of the export market to Japan after seventeen years of negotiations is welcomed news. Japan's stringent and scientific standards require concerted efforts from all parties to expedite mango exports. Barantin's Deputy Head of Plant Quarantine, Bambang, emphasized the need for collaboration during a Focus Group Discussion in Bandung on Wednesday (20/3/2024). Bambang revealed Japan's concerns regarding the presence of the fruit fly Bactrocera occipitalis in West Java, which is only found in Kalimantan. However, there has been no mango traffic from Kalimantan to Java. Mitigation efforts by quarantine authorities have prevented its spread beyond Kalimantan. Research conducted by the West Java Development Institute (Injabar) of Padjadjaran University confirmed the absence of B. occipitalis in Gedong Gincu mangoes from West Java.
Prof. Keri Lestari, CEO of Injabar Unpad, echoed the findings, stating that their research in Kalimantan found it challenging to locate B. occipitalis. Moreover, when found, it was on guava rather than mango. These research findings provide scientific evidence to reassure Japan. West Java Province fully supports Barantin and other stakeholders in accelerating Gedong Gincu mango exports to Japan. They plan to engage investors, utilizing CSR funds or inviting investors to provide vapor heat treatment (VHT) facilities commercially. Barantin urges stakeholders to prepare for mango export acceleration, emphasizing Good Agriculture Practices implementation at the farmer level, including orchard sanitation, orchard and packaging house registration, productivity for export sustainability, VHT facilities, and harvest failure risk mitigation. Barantin, as a trade facilitator, ensures compliance with destination countries' requirements. Gedong Gincu mangoes, specific to West Java, are economically significant, primarily distributed in Sumedang, Cirebon, Kuningan, Majalengka, and Indramayu Regencies. They hold promising prospects as Indonesia's flagship export fruit commodity. Barantin officials, including Deputy Directors of Plant Quarantine Risk Management and Quarantine Measures, accompanied by West Java's Head of Quarantine, attended the event alongside various stakeholders, including government officials and industry players.
