High Economic Values, Moeldoko: How To Manage And Trade Kratom Plants Must Be Formulated Immediately

Head of KSP Moeldoko for policy formulation related to crotoms, at the Bina Graha building, Jakarta, Monday, January 22 (Ist)

JAKARTA - Presidential Chief of Staff, (KSP) Moeldoko, emphasized that policies related to the governance and trading system of the krotom plant must be formulated immediately, considering that the plant, which has the Latin name Mytragina speccisa, has great economic potential and one of the sources of people's livelihoods, especially in West Kalimantan.

"Why do we have to be so complicated to take care of cronatoms? Because this is the President's order to immediately resolve the problem of cronatoms. This Kratom is the living base of the community, especially in West Kalimantan," said Moeldoko while chairing a policy formulation meeting related to krotoms, at the Bina Graha building. Jakarta, Monday 22 January.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, National Narcotics Agency (BNN), National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

Moeldoko reminded that policy formulation related to the governance and trading procedures of the krotom must be carried out quickly and precisely. This is because the problem of crotoms is not only related to health and narcotics.

There are social, environmental, and various issues. For that we have to make precise conclusions. We can't just make decisions," he said.

"This custom is not like a marijuana tree that can just be cut off. Kratom is a large tree whose function is ecological and the number is tens of millions," added Moeldoko.

The 2013-2015 TNI Commander conveyed that the government through BRIN had conducted various studies related to crotoms, ranging from aspects of their content, ecological, to socio-economics. This study will be the basis for establishing policies on the governance and trading system of the krotom.

One of the results of BRIN's studies, continued Moeldoko, is that the content in the krotom is safe if consumed within reasonable limits or adequate doses.

"If we run this, the important thing is there is a limit, the limit is clear," he said.

Moeldoko also asked the relevant ministries/agencies to immediately set up a standardization of the crotom for export so that it can meet the quality and security required by the destination country.

"Many of our farmers or traders are harmed, because after export the goods were rejected because they were not standard," concluded Moeldoko.

As is known, since August 2022, the Presidential Staff Office has overseen the issue of management and trading procedures for chromatic commodities in Indonesia. This follows up on President Joko Widodo's orders regarding the resolution of the atomic problem.

Where the President mandates the formulation of the protocol policy must be carried out carefully, involve stakeholders within the government and outside the government, and pay attention to aspects of health, trade, agriculture, law enforcement, and the environment.

The komodity of the crotom itself has tremendous economic potential. The commodity of Indonesian crotoms is urgently needed by 15 million Americans.