Indonesia and the Seduction of Coconut Island

Indonesia is famous for its seductive land of coconut islands. This is because the extent of coconut plantations in Indonesia reaches around 3.7 million hectares, most of which are smallholder plantations. The extent of these coconut plantations places Indonesia as the owner of the largest coconut plantations in the world, and the Philippines is in second place. Coconut trees mainly grow along the coast, and indeed Indonesia also has the longest coastline in the world. Even though Indonesia's coconut plantation area is number 1 in the world, its productivity is still lower compared to the Philippines, so the Philippines is also the number 1 coconut producer in the world. The coconut industry in the Philippines is also more advanced than Indonesia. Indonesia, on the other hand, prioritizes palm oil over coconut. The area of Indonesia's palm oil plantations is currently around 15 million hectares or more than 4 times the area of its coconut plantations.

Especially for VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil) products for the export market, apart from requiring better specifications or quality, they are also generally required to be accompanied by organic certification. Organic certification is something that is not easy, especially for small businesses. Information from APCC (Asia Pacific Coconut Community) states that the Philippines is currently the largest producer of VCO, even though the area of coconut plantations is still below Indonesia, with export volume continuing to increase. It was recorded that the Philippines' VCO exports in 2006 were 461 tons, then nine years later, namely in 2015, it increased to 36,313 tons. The coconut industry in the Philippines is also more developed than in Indonesia, this can be seen from the large number of export commodities made from coconut products. The Philippines exports 30 kinds of coconut products while Indonesia only exports 14 kinds of products.

Coconut is like a sleeping tiger. As a tropical country with the longest coastline in the world, the "sleeping tiger" needs to be awakened. This huge potential must be awakened, not weakened, so that coconut-based industrialization must be boosted especially as the productivity of Indonesian coconut plantations continues to decline, plus the demographic bonus so that the potential of natural resources must be optimized, and the vision of a golden Indonesia 2045. Don't let the demographic bonus become a demographic disaster because it is not properly managed and directed. Optimizing natural resources with a sustainable environmental perspective is a future economic solution that must be a common concern.

Reviving the Integrated Coconut Industry Part 8: Coconut Milk, VCO, Dessicated Coconut, Coconut Water, Nata de Coco, Shell Charcoal and Activated Carbon

Basically the campaign to save the coconut plantation (tree of life) is to revive the integrated coconut industry. Damaged and not maintained of coconut plantations due to lack of funding to maintain and develop it in a sustainable manner.

Bioeconomy is defined as knowledge-based production and uses biological resources or living things to produce products, processes, and services in the economic sector within the framework of a sustainable economic system.

Instant coconut milk or packaged coconut milk is almost unthinkable, especially by mothers in Indonesia a few decades ago. Likewise, bottled coconut water, almost all Indonesians were also unthinkable at that time. That is mainly because coconut is very easy to get in almost all corners of the country. But this condition changed when Asian cuisine began to worldwide so that many Western people like it. Coconut milk as one of the main elements of the dish has become a necessity that must be provided. Urban communities with dense population and have a high level of activity, need something practical and instant that makes instant coconut milk products easily accepted. It is also the same as instant food seasoning products that are in demand in urban areas.

Coconut milk and bottled coconut water industry is a type of large industry so it requires a supply of raw materials in large quantities and continuously. To get these conditions in general can only be in coconut plantations which are not infrequently still very remote location. At that location, electricity and a number of supporting infrastructure were not yet available, so the integrated coconut industry could not yet be operated. Electricity is one of the basic needs for industrial operations, so it needs to be made before running the integrated coconut industry such as industries with the main products are coconut milk and bottled coconut water. The production of electricity for this purpose can be done in at least two ways: first, with a steam boiler, as is usually done in a palm oil mill. Coconut coir which has the lowest economic value is used for fuel.

The second way, namely by continuous pyrolysis. Coconut shell can be used as raw material for the pyrolysis. With pyrolysis technology, it would be more profitable because besides electricity generated, heat and charcoal shells are also produced. Electricity and heat can be used for the operation of the coconut processing industry, while shell charcoal can be directly sold or further processed into briquettes or activated carbon. When the need for electricity is large, power plants can use both, namely coconut coir steam boilers and pyrolysis with raw materials for coconut shells. If you want to produce more charcoal, coconut coir can also be used for continuous pyrolysis fuel. The quality of coconut coir is lower than that of coconut shell. This is so that coconut coir charcoal can be used as agricultural charcoal (agri-char / biochar) so that it will increase the productivity of coconut plantations, while coconut shell charcoal for the purposes mentioned above.

Apart from being processed into packaged coconut milk, fruit meat can also be processed into VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil) or dessicated cooconut. VCO production can be done on a medium scale, but currently for the export market or foreign buyers in general require organic certificates. That is also the reason why the production of small-scale VCO for the export market is difficult. Basically, coconuts can be made for a variety of products, according to market needs. Almost all coconut processing industries require electricity and heat for the production process (specifically for the VCO industry, only electricity). The integrated coconut industry approach makes the coconut processing industry more efficient. The combination of the coconut processing industry adjusts to market needs. The dim market for copra & coconut oil, it turns out that little by little is substituted by increasing markets for dessicated coconut, VCO, coconut milk, nata de coco, bottled coconut water and even coconut sugar. Is it possible that the coconut will come back victorious? There are indications there indeed. Wallahu'alam