Many Naughty Craftsmen In Rejang Lebong Bengkulu Are Mixing Palm Sugar With Granulated Sugar, Causing The Selling Price To Drop So That The Income Of Traders Decreases

JAKARTA - Palm sugar craftsmen in Rejang Lebong Regency, Bengkulu Province, have complained about the circulation of palm sugar which is suspected to have been mixed with granulated sugar in that area.

"The problem is, currently circulating mixed palm sugar, palm sugar mixed with granulated sugar, so that the selling price of the original palm sugar has fallen and is at most Rp. 15,000 per kilogram," said Fendi (49), a palm sugar crafter in Talang Rimbo Lama Village, Central Curup District, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, February 16.

Since the circulation of this mixed sugar, he said, it has harmed palm sugar craftsmen who have been in this business for a long time. Original palm sugar products are unable to compete because the price is cheaper than real palm sugar.

"The difference is, if the original palm sugar, the color is a bit black and the texture is not hard. If the palm sugar has been mixed with granulated sugar, the texture is hard and not easy to break. If you make empek-empek vinegar, it quickly goes stale and sour," he explained.

The same thing was also expressed by Eko (52), a palm sugar craftsman in Belitar Seberang Village, Sindang Kelingi District.

Eko hopes that the relevant parties can control the circulation of this mixed palm sugar because it is detrimental to palm sugar craftsmen in Rejang Lebong Regency.

In one large cauldron, he said, contains 90 to 100 liters of sap water. After cooking for 5 hours, the result is about 18-19 kg of real palm sugar.

"As for palm sugar that has been mixed with that much sap water, it can become 100 kg of mixed palm sugar," he explained.

With that much production, he continued, these unscrupulous artisans could sell mixed palm sugar below the selling price of real palm sugar.

As a result of the circulation of refined sugar in recent years, according to Eko, their income has decreased because the selling price has never increased, in fact it tends to decrease.

Meanwhile, Head of the Agriculture and Fisheries Service (Distankan) Rejang Lebong Zulkarnain admitted that he had heard complaints from sugar palm farmers.

He hopes that the relevant parties can follow up so as not to damage the good name of the mainstay commodity of Rejang Lebong Regency.

"If we are in the upstream position. Even though it is not our main function, we will still be monitored," said Zulkarnain.