Getting Support From PLN, Farmers Group In South Tapanuli Successfully Improves Circumvent Coffee Production And Imposes International Markets

Photo: Doc. PLN

Sumatra plateau coffee has long been known to Indonesian coffee lovers with its distinctive taste. One that is now popular and worldwide is Crypto coffee, a coffee brand from South Tapanuli.

The journey of Kopi Cilindok, which refers to the name of the capital city of South Tapanuli Regency, originated from the initiative of local farmers through the Maju Jaya Coffee Farmer Group. Taking advantage of the momentum of the coffee trend that developed in the country, this farmer group then made an MJ Coffee trading business by carrying the Kopi Cilindok brand.

The MJ Coffee leader, Nanang, tells the story of their long business journey which finally has the support of the PT PLN (Persero) Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) program. The moment that increased MJ Coffee's ability to enter the international market and succeeded in increasing their production by five times.

We are very grateful to PLN, this assistance is really useful in increasing our coffee production. We have also succeeded in opening up jobs for the people around our business. We are trying to continue to increase the number of productions for the export of Kopi Sipsiok to the international market," said Nanang.

He recalled the various obstacles he felt when he was just starting a business. Included in the drying technique of coffee beans in the middle of the rainy season and the erosion of plantation soil conditions.

With PLN's support and assistance through the Padang Sidempuan BUMN House, this farmer group is equipped with production equipment, modern management training for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and digital marketing, to various other supports, one of which is the construction of a green house.

The construction of this green house by Nanang is said to overcome one of their biggest obstacles, namely drying coffee beans. As a result, the productivity of farmer groups also increased with the ability to dry coffee beans reaching 1 ton per month, five times the previous capacity of 200 kg per month which was managed traditionally.

This increase in the productivity of Circumferential Coffee is certainly directly proportional to the increase in MJ Coffee's income by three times from the previous Rp30 million to Rp95 million.

Nanang explained that their participation in various exhibitions supported by PLN also expanded the reach of their customers to the global market. It is noted that currently the coffee beans produced by MJ Cofffee have succeeded in penetrating the international market. Throughout 2022, MJ Coffee noted that it has successfully exported 500 kilograms of green bean coffee to Singapore and 1.5 tons of greenbean coffee to Malaysia.

Improvements in market quality and development continue to be carried out by utilizing the market place. In the future, to penetrate the share of the sharia market, MJ Coffee has also prepared halal certification for its six mainstay coffee products.

General Manager of PLN North Sumatra's Main Distribution Unit, Tonny totaling, said that PLN does not only provide assistance to MSME actors to increase production. According to him, PLN will also measure the impact on the assistance provided to community development.

PLN has an obligation to help MSME actors. Not only that, PLN will also measure the impact after the assistance is given to its recipients. This is done as an evaluation of the effectiveness of the assistance that has been provided," explained Tonny in his statement, Sunday, December 4.

Tonny explained, geographically, South Tapanuli Regency has an area of 6,030.47 km2 is a mountainous area with an altitude of 1,200 meters above sea level. The geographical condition of this area, which according to him makes the taste of coffee from the Sumatran highlands very popular, not only in Indonesia but abroad.

He also hopes that with PLN's support, Kopi Silinok can bring blessings to regional economic development. According to him, this is in line with PLN's commitment to implementing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles which create sustainable economic development and have a positive impact on society.

"If more and more coffee production, it will also absorb more new workers and can provide blessings for local residents," concluded Tonny.