JHL Group Initiates Downstreaming Of Coconuts For The Prosperity Of Farmers

Illustration (Photo: Doc Antara)

JAKARTA - JHL Group's commitment to contribute to the development of the agro-business industry in the country is increasingly visible.

One concrete proof, the company founded by Jerry Hermawan Lo now has two coconut processing plants that are already operating. Namely Dewacoco located in Goal Village, East Sahu District, West Halmahera Regency, North Maluku Province and in Manado, North Sulawesi.

Actually, there is another factory that will be established in Kalimantan, which is currently still in the development process. In addition, Dewacoco is also exploring building a coconut processing plant in the Riau Islands.

The Dewacoco coconut factory can process the coconuts purchased from farmers to become something that has a high added value.

"If in the past Indonesian coconuts were exported in the form of whole (roundhead), now with this factory, we can process it first before being exported. This is called coconut downstream," said Dewacoco founder Jerry Hermawan Lo in a written statement, Friday, September 13.

Indeed, previously coconut farmers in Halmahera sold coconut in its complete form or in the form of kopra.

If it is sold in Kopra form, then the coconut sabut becomes waste which is then just burned.

Of course, this is not environmentally friendly and can disturb public health.

Well, at the Dewacoco factory, coconut sabut waste is processed into renewable fuel.

"Dewacoco is the only company in the world that produces biomass fuel from coconut sabut waste," said Jerry.

Now with Dewacoco, farmers can sell it to processing and their coconut factories are valued with reference to world market prices.

Now, the JHL Group-owned coconut factory has employed more than 1,000 employees, the majority of whom are local sons and daughters and in collaboration with around 5,000 coconut farmers.

"Here we come with a commitment to the welfare of the coconut farmers and local children," said Jerry.

The Dewacoco factory in Halmahera can now process around 100,000 coconut grains per day and the target is to process 250,000 coconuts per day by 2025.

Meanwhile, factories in Manado can now process 150,000 coconuts per day and continue to boost to be able to process 500,000 coconut grains per day next year.

To achieve this target, Dewacoco is now continuing to provide assistance, counseling and training to farmers to be able to grow and care for coconut trees properly.

"If usually one coconut tree can produce around 40 coconut grains per year, with the right handling, one coconut tree can produce 120 coconut grains per year. This means that there is a 3 times increase," said Jerry.

Dewacoco, continued Jerry, in addition to having economically beneficial hopes for the community, also aspires to spur sustainable energy and build shared awareness about improving the environment in society.

Jerry then explained that the coconut processing process in Dewacoco was carried out in such a way that none of the waste (waste) was left. The sabut is processed into briquettes for biomass fuel. Coconut shells will be separated from their shells to be used as charcoal.

Coconut skin is then processed into coconut paring oil. In line, coconut meat is separated from the ari section. The coconut Ari will then be processed into Crude Coconut Oil (CCO).

After the coconut water is converted into CCO, the meat then enters the drying stage and is converted into desipated and flour.

The discated coconut is distributed into food, but can also be used as material for the manufacture of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO).

Jerry's goal is actually not just to set up a factory to process coconut.

However, on the other hand, he has a strong desire to send children of coconut farmers around his factory to the undergraduate level.

"I have a dream of scoring 1,000 agricultural scholars within 5 years. I'm sure that will be achieved," said the 69-year-old energy entrepreneur.