Ahead Of 2024, Demand For Sweet Corn Soars

JAKARTA - Sweet corn farmers in one of the production centers in Brebes, Central Java can smile relievedly ahead of the turn of 2023 to 2024 because their sweet corn plants show abundant harvest.

The availability of sweet corn is to anticipate a surge in demand for sweet corn ahead of the increasing turn of the year. It is estimated that the demand for favorite food on New Year's Eve will grow to more than 50 percent.

The increasing demand for sweet corn is also accompanied by an increase in prices. If the usual days the price of sweet corn ranges from Rp. 2,500 - Rp. 3,000 per seed, then ahead of the turn of the year the price will increase in the range of Rp. 5,000 per seed.

"We are ready to meet the demand for sweet corn because the harvest is quite abundant and the quality of corn is premium," said M. Said, a farmer from Brebes, quoted Friday, December 29.

One of the keys to the success of farmers in anticipating the increase in demand is the use of superior quality seeds. The latest premium variety planted and proven to answer the farmer's concerns is NB Super F1 sweet corn. The reason is, this variety has a very high yield potential of up to 22 tons per hectare.

Not only providing high harvests, farmers also get a "bonus" with abundant baby corn, which is more than 2 tons per hectare or precisely 2,200 kg. As a result, through the sale of this baby corn, farmers can actually replace the cost of purchasing seeds and planting.

Even more interesting, farmers can harvest NB Super F1 at 67 days after planting (HST). Much faster than the average other varieties harvested at the age of 73 HST. In addition, corn skin aka green clumpot and sweet taste that can last for more than three days make this sweet corn very popular by traders. The reason is, with this advantage, this corn will be easier to sell because consumers prefer corn that looks fresh and sweet.

"This Attorney General's Office is very much in accordance with market demand," said Said.

This was confirmed by Entu, a farmer and a sweet corn trader from Brebes. According to him, this NB Super F1 variety has proven to be superior because in addition to its abundant production, the quality of corn is also premium so that the market likes it.

"Farmers and traders are optimistic that they can get abundant results, especially at the turn of this year," he said.

Managing Director of Cap Panasan Merah Glenn Pardede, who produces NB Super F1 superior corn seeds, said the launch of this variety was to answer the farmer's concerns. Therefore, in addition to having high potential yields and colonizes, it can be harvested quickly, NB Super F1 has a long shelf power and tastes sweet so that traders and consumers really like it.

Based on a number of studies, sweet corn has many nutrients that are useful for the health of the body. Apart from being a source of carbohydrates, sweet corn contains various nutrients such as protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Compared to other grain intake, corn contains more antioxidants, such as ferrite acid, phytic acid, antosianine, and zeaxanthin and lutein which are good for eye health.

In the future, the potential for sweet corn will tend to increase because more people are aware of health. Through the provision of superior quality seeds and coaching to farmers, we are optimistic that the success rate and welfare of farmers will be higher," Glenn concluded.