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West Sulawesi Commits to Developing Durian Business Supply Chain
WINDONESIA September 28, 2024
West Sulawesi Acting Governor Bahtiar Baharuddin (center) at a meeting with durian farmers in West Sulawesi. (Antara/West Sulawesi Province Communications, Cryptography, and Statistics Office)
West Sulawesi Acting Governor Bahtiar Baharuddin is committed to the development of a durian business supply chain in West Sulawesi Province as part of the effort to turn West Sulawesi into the largest durian producer in Indonesia.
"Durian is one of the leading commodities in West Sulawesi , so we must develop a business chain and need to create our own name (brand)," Bahtiar said during a meeting with farmers in West Sulawesi on Sep. 19, 2024.
The activity was attended by a durian farmer community, Millennial farmers, horticultural seed sellers, durian traders, and the the Independent Rural Agricultural Training Center (P4S) Young and Cool Farmers and Ranchers (PPMK) Farmers Group of Mamuju Regency.
At the meeting, the Acting Governor and the farmers agreed to build a durian business chain in Sulbar. Bahtiar claimed that durian gardening is one of the hobbies of West Sulawesi farmers.
"There are more than 100 West Sulawesi residents who choose to farm by planting durian, especially montong durian like in Bulo District, Polewali Mandar Regency," he explained.
The Durian commodity have great market potential, Bahtiar said, and West Sulawesi is very suitable for cultivating durian.
"The durian business has great potential and can boost the economy of West Sulawesi, but we must first take care of the upstream [side of the industry], namely the crop nursery," he stated.
Another advantage of the durian commodity, he said, is that the land could also be planted with intercrops that are friendly to durian plants, such as cocoa and coffee.
"I will take care of [the] durian [issue] seriously, and I hope that the community will continue to be guided to recognize the durian development pattern in West Sulawesi," said Bahtiar.
In the same occasion, Bahtiar encouraged West Sulawesi farmers to also prefer to plant high-value Musang King durian.
"One form of support from the West Sulawesi Provincial Government is that it will budget one million Musang King durian seedlings in 2025 that will be distributed to West Sulawesi residents," he revealed.
THe West Sulawesi Durian Farmers Association Chairman Sumargani appreciated the steps taken by West Sulawesi Acting Governor. The meeting with the Acting Governor, according to Sumargani, will motivate farmers and become a hope for them to continue developing durians in West Sulawesi.
Source: https://berita.sulbarprov.go.id/index.php/agenda/item/3917-kelola-hutan-agar-bernilai-ekonomis-pj-gubernur-sulbar-jajaki-kerjasama-dengan-investor-asal-turki?tmpl=component&print=1