Madiun Regent Releases Export Of 162 Tons Of Porang To China: This Is Good News For Farmers

Photo: Doc. Between

JAKARTA - Madiun Regent Ahmad Dawami released 162 tons of porang in the form of dry flakes or "chips" to China through PT Asia Prima Konjac in Kuwu Village, Balerejo District, Madiun Regency, East Java.

The Madiun Regent, who is familiarly called Kaji Mbing, was very happy because the Madiun 1 variety porang which became the mainstay commodity of Madiun Regency could finally be re-exported to China after being closed during the pandemic since mid-2020.

"Thank God, today porang from Madiun Regency farmers can be exported to China again. This is good news for all. I want everyone to be happy, especially the porang farmers in Madiun," said Kaji Mbing after releasing porang exports in Madiun, quoted from Antara, Thursday, July 7 .

He hoped that with the reopening of the porang export tap, the harvest price of these commodity tubers could rise and return to normal.

Before the pandemic, the price of porang tubers was between Rp. 10,000 to Rp. 14,000 per kilogram depending on size. Meanwhile, the current price has fallen in the range of IDR 2,500 to IDR 2,800 per kilogram.

"Hopefully, with the opening of exports, the price of porang will return to normal, so that our farmers in Madiun Regency will be even more enthusiastic when the price starts to improve," he said.

He explained that the opening of the export of porang had been a long time coming. Starting from the district government level assisted by Forkopimda to the East Java Provincial Government. The export faucet to China was finally opened after the land registration certificate as a condition for export to China was fulfilled.

Therefore, the Regent asked porang farmers in Madiun Regency to be disciplined in maintaining land registration certificates relating to food safety, food health, and information on the origin of goods or commodities.

"With the land registration certificate, there are several protocols that must be obeyed. This means that porang commodities from farmers to factories and their packaging must be properly regulated according to the requirements of the export destination country. 5 years. So you have to be disciplined," said the Regent.

President Director of PT Asia Prima Konjac Pin Haris said porang prices declined due to abundant stock at the farm level as the export market closed since June 2020.

"One of the causes of export closures is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so that the food safety administration is greatly tightened," said Pin Haris.

After re-opening export activities, his party is ready to accommodate the harvests of porang farmers in Madiun Regency. He also asked the porang farmers to maintain the quality of the porang products according to the request of the export destination country so that there are no complaints and it can run smoothly.

The export of hundreds of tons of superior commodities from Madiun Regency was released by the Regent of Madiun H. Ahmad Dawami from the PT Asia Prima Konjac page marked by the breaking of a jug witnessed by the Director of Processing and Marketing of Food Crops of the Ministry of Agriculture Gatut Sumbogojati, Head of the Center for Plant Quarantine and Vegetable Biosafety AM Adnan, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Food Security of East Java Province Hadi Sulistyo, Director of PT. Asia Prima Konjac Revi Cristian Gosali and Forkopimda Madiun Regency.

In total there were six containers containing 162 tons of dried porang flakes that were dispatched for export to China.