Jokowi Encourages Early Coconut Planting to Face the Food Crisis

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The President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, encouraged the early maturing of coconut planting in several unproductive lands. According to him, this is to anticipate the world food crisis in which 300 million people are affected.

Jokowi, quoted from the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube, Thursday (11/8/2022), explained, “In some countries, it has started and it is estimated that if there is no solution, 800 million people will suffer from food shortages and hunger.”

This has also prompted President Jokowi to increase land productivity even though it is less productive for agriculture in several regions in Indonesia. One solution is to plant early coconuts.

“This has just been done by the Ministry of Agriculture and unproductive lands are planted with early maturing coconut which can produce 2 years, 2.5 years, or a year. One tree can produce 180 fruits. Coconut oil can also be made of palm sugar which can also be sold for its fruit. for fresh drinks,” said Jokowi.

The Head of State said that currently, the planting of early maturing coconut is being intensified in Boyolali, Sukoharjo, and Karanganyar. However, the early maturing coconut plantation will likely be expanded in other areas.

“I think this is what we will do in Boyolali, we will divide 46,000 [plants], Karanganyar 44,000, and in Sukoharjo 110,000 early coconuts. This is just starting here. Later in areas where coconuts can grow well, we will plant them. million mature coconuts. But not only coconuts but there are also corn and chili seeds,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture acknowledged that the current food crisis in Indonesia cannot be avoided. One of the reasons is that the country’s dependence on imports of several food commodities is still too large.

Director Serelia of the Directorate General of Food Crops at the Ministry of Agriculture Ismail Wahab said Indonesia must take steps before the crisis occurs. Moreover, various countries have begun to limit exports to meet the domestic needs of their citizens.

“We need many commodities, but they still depend on imports,” he said during an online discussion in Jakarta on Tuesday, August 9, 2022.

Ismail said foodstuffs with large imports were rice, corn, and soybeans. The three commodities are most needed.

For information, one of the plantation commodities that produce fruit quickly or flower faster is the Cocos Nucifera L. Plants included in this group are early maturing coconuts.

Early coconut generally begins to flower since it is planted relatively young, 3 – 5 years. Early coconut plants, if properly cared for, can reach 50 years of age with a productive period of 25 years. Fruit color varies from yellow, green, and orange.

The fruit size is small, 1.5 – 2 kg, the flesh weighs 0.50 kg and the water is about 200 cc. While the copra produced by each coconut produces 150 grams of copra and 68% oil.

The benefits of early maturing coconut are very much. As a means for religious ceremonies in Bali, the coconut is never separated. it always gets the main place, besides that coconut has a role in medical science, and it can be used as VCO (virgin coconut oil). Thus, it can be made into coconut oil soap.