Minggu, 26 Oktober 2008

Agribusiness potential of palm sugar

Agribusiness potential of palm sugar

In addition to sugar and ethanol, any other uses of palm sugar and how much there is in Indonesia? 

Sugar palm with the scientific name Arenga pinnata have long since known of the farmers we as a valuable economic plant. However, until now input in science and technology in the palm sugar is still very minimum. Unlike with coconut and palm oil, sugar palm trees sefamili. The amount is certainly not yet known but believed the potential for sugar palm in Indonesia outside of the normal spread from coastal areas to the mountains. 

Agribusiness sugar palm-based products main sugar or red sugar crystals that can become an alternative source of sugar, so we are not dizzy with more sugar imports. Roomie and palm sugar can be processed into ethanol, the energy source that can be updated. In addition to producing sugar and ethanol, sugar palm tree can also produce palm leaf rib, ijuk, leaves for the roof of the house, and the wood quality is very good. From palm sugar can also produce good food, namely Kolang kaling. 


How the potential to be developed? 
Now a new sugar palm has the potential to realize the extraordinary amount in terms of economic, equity income, and poverty reduction, and environmental conservation. From the economic aspect, palm sugar through a very simple process produces roomie as the main product that can be processed sugar as a substitute for white sugar and ethanol, which is very important for energy. 

In terms of income distribution, sugar palm farmers cultivated small and most have yet to be cultivated and grows wild in the forests surrounding the settlement. Because the product was used economical low-income people. Palm sugar so the program can be used to counter the unemployment and poverty in rural areas. 

From the aspect of environment, the sugar palm mushrooming with other trees. Therefore, palm sugar to create a better ecological balance so that created biology. In addition, because he grew up with other tree can be a good water and palm sugar is relatively difficult to burn. Unlike with oil palm and coconut condition that requires a monoculture. 


What are the advantages compared with palm sugar cane? 

Palm sugar from far more productive plants produce crystals in the sugar cane and sugar per unit area of biofuel. Productivity can be 4-8 times compared to sugar cane. Rendemen gulanya and 12%, while sugar cane average only 7%. Palm sugar can be considered to be good and the sugar crystals that can be exported. Rp50.000/kg and export prices in the consumer level in the Netherlands Rp90.000/kg, compare the price of sugar around Rp7.000/kg.

From palm sugar that can also be obtained form 30% facing email solution to create material for biofuel ethanol.  

Interestingly, the sugar palm trees do not require fertilizer to grow, not pests and diseases that require the use of pesticides so safe for the environment. Even organic products can be said. Sugar palm can be grown on marginal land on the slopes or the hills with other crops. Meanwhile, sugar cane should be planted in fertile land, so that even in the land use to compete with other crops such as rice and corn. 

What are the problems in development? 

The problem is the development of knowledge about our palm sugar is minimal compared to palm oil, coconut, and sugar cane. If we want to develop in the regional and national scale, knowledge of the sugar palm should be added. Knowledge is urgent that the selection of plants that have high productivity and how perbanyakannya. Second, knowledge about the process of harvesting the efficient and effective. Third, transportation roomie from tree to the factory that is not damaged. And fourth, the system of processing the results of the modern. 

And no less important organizational and management problems. Start from the organization of farmers, factory organization, distribution and organization of farmers to factories, and management systems that manage the sugar palm-based agribusiness. 

Whether there have been examples of processing palm sugar in large scale? 
There. Examples we can Tomohon in the North. Factory modern cultivated Masarang Foundation is now a process roomie all high-quality sugar for export. Masarang palm sugar factory began producing since 2006. Currently, the average production of 3.5 tons of crystal sugar or palm sugar per day. 

They relate to farmers as suppliers roomie 3,500 people scattered in 35 villages in the city of Warrenton. Farmers receive the selling price Rp2.000/liter roomie. And when roomie have been processed into palm sugar, farmers also have the advantage that the factories and farmers receive the same benefits. 

Palm sugar factory in Indonesia, the first modern even in this world on Sunday (15/01), and inaugurated a new President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. President also simultaneously release the export of palm sugar as much as 12.5 tons to the Netherlands. Besides the Netherlands, the export will also be made to Switzerland and Germany. 

A matter of hope, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie will mereplikasi palm sugar factory is modern in the ten provinces in 2007. And investment for the factory is not too expensive, around U.S. $ 1 million for capacity of 20 tons of palm sugar per day. I hope banks will be covered in this business, especially finance and manufacturing trades. (Taken from the writings of Mr. Untung Jaya) by Dian Kusumanto 

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