The world’s coconut sap products continue to develop and grow. The product consists of fresh sap, sugar, jaggery, vinegar, honey, and syrup. A low glycemic level below 35 is the key to increasing the market for this product. Jelfina Alouw, Executive Director of ICC (International Coconut Community) stated this.
The main producers are Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, and are increasing in India and Sri Lanka. India makes sap a national product, the healthiest fresh drink in the world, and very profitable for farmers.
Indonesia is the largest exporter of coconut sugar. Indonesia’s coconut sugar exports are increasing, in 2012 it was 14,095 tons with a value of USD 18,402 million while in 2018 it was 35,578 tons with a value of USD 52,521 million. Export destination countries are the United States 68%, Netherlands 7%, South Korea 5%, Malaysia 4%, Australia 3%, Singapore 3%, and other countries 11%.
One of the main sugar centers in Indonesia for both export and domestic market is Banyumas Regency, Central Java. According to Widarso, Head of the Banyumas Regency Agriculture and Food Security Service, the area of Deres coconut land is 5,111.49 ha, with a total of 638,936 coconut trees. The number of tappers is 27,832 people, spread over 23 districts, with an average of 22 trees/person/day. Sugar production capacity is 154.8 tons/day, 2019 production was 54,985.38 tons (75% printed sugar, 25% crystal/organic and sugar). Domestically, the main absorber of brown sugar is the soy sauce factory.
To produce 1 kg of coconut sugar, the sap is needed from 3-4 trees/day. Production of sap per tree 1.5-2 liters/day. In the future, to support this industry, the Banyumas Regency Government is rejuvenating old coconuts with early maturing coconuts that have short trunks and don’t grow tall quickly to reduce the risk of accidents falling from trees; quick to tap (3-4 years can be tapped); the leaf midrib is not easily broken and the production of sap and sugar content is high (at least 3-4 liters/tree/day).
Banyumas Regency Government encourages the production of organic crystal coconut sugar. The advantage is the higher price of IDR 3000-5000/kg compared to ordinary printed sugar, the export market share is also very open. Currently, there are 21 companies in Banyumas that manage organic coconut sugar.
Coconut raw materials for this sugar must come from gardens that have been certified organic. Currently, the area of coconut land that is certified organic in Banyumas is 1,136.65 ha, while the number of organic farmers/tappers is 6,986 people or 25% of the total farmers/tappers in Banyumas.
Naloanro Simanjuntak, President Director of PT MIO, stated that he supports coaching farmers to produce organic products. For coconut sugar in Kebumen 113 people, Purbalingga 103 people, Purworejo, Kulonprogo, and Magelang. Organic coconut sugar in the export market costs IDR 50,000-70,000/500 gr, while non-organic IDR 25,000-50,000/500 gr.
Coconut farmers are more profitable to process sap into sugar. If the business is coconuts, the income is IDR 50,000/day while coconut sugar is IDR 306,000/day. PT MIO’s export destinations are China, Japan, Australia, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, the United States, Brazil, and Chile.
