Bulungan Imitates Coffee–Cocoa Research Center Strategy to Boost Farmers' Welfare
Bulungan is adopting strategies from the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute to modernize coffee and cocoa farming. The program focuses on improving production quality, expanding market access, and increasing farmers’ income through better cultivation and processing methods.
TANJUNG SELOR – The Bulungan Regency Government is becoming increasingly serious about utilizing the plantation sector as a driver of rural economic growth. The Vice Regent of Bulungan, Kilat, stated that this effort is being strengthened through a comparative study visit to the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute in Jember, East Java.
“This visit was conducted to enrich our references and strengthen strategies for developing coffee and cocoa in Bulungan so that it can improve farmers' welfare,” Kilat told Radar Kaltara on Wednesday (March 4).
The delegation, consisting of officials from the Bulungan Agriculture Office and the Head of Long Buang Village, received detailed explanations regarding superior variety innovations, modern cultivation techniques, integrated pest control, and post-harvest processing that emphasizes improving product quality and added value.
“We received a lot of insights on how coffee and cocoa commodities can be managed from upstream to downstream in an integrated manner,” he explained.
Kilat emphasized that plantation development is not just about expanding planting areas. Production quality and wider market access are key so that farmers do not merely sell raw materials but can produce higher-value products through downstream processing.
“We want farmers not only to sell raw materials but also to produce value-added products through downstream processing,” he stressed.
The results of this study will become a reference for formulating policies for coffee and cocoa development in Bulungan, including in inland areas that have supportive agroclimatic potential.
“The hope is that the development of coffee and cocoa will truly increase farmers’ income and welfare,” he said.
Through this comparative study, the Bulungan Regency Government is optimistic that the coffee and cocoa plantation sector can grow more modern, productive, and sustainable, while also becoming a pillar of regional economic strengthening.
“Yes, we are optimistic that the plantation sector can become a pillar of economic strengthening in Bulungan,” Kilat concluded.
What's Your Reaction?
