The government seeks to optimize the regional economic potential. One of them is through an export-oriented horticultural development program with a Creating Shared Value (CSV) pattern under the coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs. These efforts are carried out through the development of regional production centers for superior commodities aimed at increasing exports and import substitution through partnerships between farmers and business actors. One of the locations for export-oriented horticultural development for the Cavendish Banana commodity is Maskuning Kulon Village in Bondowoso Regency, East Java Province, which successfully carried out its first harvest on Saturday (26/11).
On this occasion, the Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, Abdul Halim Iskandar, welcomed the success of the first harvest of Cavendish Bananas and supported various programs in an effort to accelerate the economy in the village.
Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Susiwijono Moegiarso, said that the first harvest of Cavendish Bananas was a faster harvest when compared to the harvest of bananas in the same program in Ponorogo Regency, which only took approximately 10 months. Cavendish Banana planting in Maskuning Kulon Village was carried out on January 29, 2022. "We will initiate this program together and will be carried out in 11 districts in Indonesia. Currently it has been implemented in 8 districts. Many other Regional Heads have invited discussions for this program. So, we want to demonstrate in each area first. In this area an area of 1.8 hectares is planted with about 4,400 trees. Today we see the harvest, and it is one of the best. The farmers here can see that this is indeed a real program which can also be their hope economically," said Susiwijono in a written statement, Sunday (27/11).
Susiwijono emphasized that the program was not part of corporate social responsibility (CSR), but shared value with farmers because the initial concept was to empower farmers. The program that has been carried out, especially in East Java Province, is expected to be replicated in other regions. In detail, the implementation of the export-oriented horticulture development program was carried out in Tanggamus Regency (Lampung), Jembrana Regency (Bali), Bener Meriah Regency (Aceh). On the island of Java, the program was implemented in Garut Regency (West Java), Sukabumi Regency (West Java), Blitar Regency (East Java), Ponorogo Regency (East Java) and Bondowoso Regency (East Java). Susiwijono gave an example domestically, one of the banana market opportunities in Indonesia is the Province of Bali which has the highest demand for bananas because they are needed for traditional ceremonies and hotels. So that approximately 5,000 cartons are sent from Lampung every week. "In East Java, of course, we will fulfill the domestic market first, then we will talk about the scale for exports, for sure there will be economies of scale for exports," said Susiwijono. Furthermore, Susiwijono said that Indonesia had just penetrated the banana export market to China. He said based on the value of its competitiveness, Indonesian bananas are actually far more competitive than bananas from the Philippines. "Food security is one of the priority issues in the G20 and is also an attachment to the G20 Bali Leaders' Declaration programs yesterday. Therefore, if there are Bumdes partnership programs, and so on, if there are difficulties from the financing scheme, we can sit together," explained Susiwijono. "Because there are a lot of funding commitments that actually lack concrete programs. This means that, in the midst of global conditions that are not easy, the commitment to finance food security is extraordinary," he added. Susiwijono stressed the importance of collaboration in the development of export-oriented programs because the main goal is to use the CSV pattern to empower farmers. In addition to harvesting bananas, on this occasion a meeting was also held with farmers and conducted a survey to the packaging site. On this occasion, compensation was also given to orphans.
