Regent of Sintang dr. H. Jarot Winarno, M.Med.PH opened the Tea Commodity Introduction Workshop in Sintang Regency (Case study for West Kalimantan) which was carried out by Solidaridad in collaboration with the Keling Kumang Group and the Sintang Regional Government at Balai Ruai, Sintang Regent’s Hall Complex, Tuesday (23/7/19) morning. Present at the event were Harry Hendrarto from the Indonesia Tea Marketing Association (ITMA) as a guest speaker, Solidaridad Country Manager Kulbir Mehta, MG Keling Kumang Group Management, Sintang District Agriculture and Plantation Office and other related parties.
Through this opportunity, Sintang Regent Jarot Winarno encouraged the farmers who attended the event and farmers in Sintang District to try to develop the potential of the tea plant, which currently has a tea demonstration plot in Sepulut Village, Kec. Sepauk. Moreover, said Jarot, currently tea in Indonesia on average is imported from Vietnam and Thailand because in a year Indonesia needs 155 thousand tons of tea, but Indonesia’s tea production is only 80 thousand tons per year, so there is still a shortage of 70 thousand tons so that it must be fulfilled from other countries.
“It’s a shame, because our homeland is vast, now this is our opportunity to develop it, yesterday Mr. Kulbir and his friends brought me to see a tea demonstration plot in Sepulut, before the Simpang Manis Raya, Sepauk. Tea plants there grow well. Farmers can later grow it. It’s an opportunity,” said Jarot.
Apart from being a potential that can be developed, Jarot continued that this tea commodity could also become one of the other income sectors of the economy if it is developed, considering the prices of the main commodities for people’s livelihoods such as rubber and palm oil, the prices are often fluctuating or unstable and also this tea plant is suitable with the agro-tourism concept that continues to be developed in Sintang Regency, because if you plant tea, the scenery looks beautiful.
“If there is unused land, we may try to plant this tea, it may also be combined with other plants, for example, sahang plants, rubber, or citrus plants, so I am optimistic that this tea can grow in this Sintang, because there is solidaridad, keling kumang, the Indonesian tea association that helps us” said Jarot.
Solidaridad Country Manager Kulbir Mehta said that his organization was trying to introduce a new tea commodity for Sintang Regency, with the hope that this tea could later help provide guarantees or alternative income for the community. Kulbir also explained that this tea plant is very environmentally friendly, because on the one hand this tea can function as a carbon sink and can also prevent soil erosion and also absorb water.
“We see that a lot of tea in the market here comes from Java or even some from abroad such as Vietnam or somewhere like that, right, we want the tea to come from this area itself, namely the original tea of the Kalimantan people,” he hoped. Kulbir expressed his gratitude for the support from the Indonesian tea marketing association together with solidaridad and also the Keliang Kumang Group and the Sintang Regency Government to make this program a success going forward.
Source: https://bratapos.com/2019/07/23/bupati-buka-workshop-perkenalan-komoditi-teh-di-kabupaten-sintang/
