Exporting fruit abroad is not just a dream. Because, in 2021 Indonesia's fruit exports skyrocketed during the pandemic. In fact, it even penetrated the Chinese and Saudi Arabian markets.
This cannot be separated from the role of horticulture which has high potential to improve the welfare of farmers. Actually, what is horticulture? Why does horticulture have an important role in fruit exports and farmer welfare? You can find out by reading this article.
What is Horticulture?
Horticulture is a branch of agricultural science that focuses on studying the cultivation of fruits, medicines, vegetables and ornamental plants. Horticulture itself comes from Latin, namely "hortus" and "colere" which means cultivating gardens.
Types of Horticultural Plants
Horticultural plants themselves come in various types. Usually, horticultural plants have characteristics such as being easily damaged, having to be consumed fresh so that they will give satisfaction to the person who sees them, because of their aesthetic appearance when viewed.
Because this plant must always be fresh, usually the storage area must always be clean. Apart from that, this plant also requires special attention while traveling. So, the freshness and quality of this plant is not reduced.
Even though horticultural plants are included in the fragile plant category, these types of plants can be exported abroad with proper handling. The types of horticultural plants themselves are divided into three parts as follows:
Biopharmaca (Medicinal Plants)
This type of horticultural plant contains compounds that are known to be useful in preventing and treating various diseases. In fact, this biopharmaceutical plant has been around since the time of our ancestors and has always been trusted in treating disease.
Not only a few years ago, this medicinal plant is still often found in the home yard to be used to prevent and treat disease.
There are many types of medicinal plants which are included in the horticultural type such as god leaves, ginger, turmeric, galangal and many more.
Fruticulture (Fruit Plants)
This type of horticultural plant has fruit that you can harvest and enjoy. Not only because it tastes delicious, but also because the fruit from fruit crops has many health benefits.
These fruticultural crops have different planting and harvest times. There are some that can be planted every day, but there are also some that you can only find during certain seasons.
Various fruits included in seasonal fruit are oranges, mangoes, rambutans and so on. Meanwhile, there are also fruits that are always available in one period such as avocado, melon, watermelon, dragon and many more.
Floriculture (Flower Plants)
This type of horticultural plant is famous as an ornamental plant. Usually, this plant is embedded in media such as pots or on the bark of other trees such as orchids.
Apart from orchids, other ornamental plants that fall into the horticultural category are ylang-ylang flowers, roses, jasmine flowers and hibiscus flowers.
Orticulture (Vegetable Plants)
This orticultural plant is a type of horticultural plant that you can easily find in the surrounding environment. Mostly, this plant knows no season, so that can be one of its positive values, because it can be planted at any time.
There are vegetable plants that you can enjoy all year round, such as melinjo, petai and jengkol. However, there are also vegetables that you can only find in certain seasons. For example, shallots, garlic, spinach, kale, kale, kale, tomatoes and so on.
This horticultural plant is a type of plant that is easy for you to cultivate. In fact, even in the yard or small area.
RI Fruit Exports Skyrocket During the Pandemic, a Sign of a Reviving Economy
Among the many unhappy news in Indonesia, it turns out that the corona pandemic has also brought blessings. This can be seen from Indonesia's ability to export fruit to China and Saudi Arabia.
Indonesia's ability to export this fruit cannot be separated from the role of horticulture which has the potential to improve the welfare of farmers, the regional economy, the national economy and the country's foreign exchange. It turns out that horticultural exports will not only occur in 2021.
In 2020, Indonesia also exported 645.48 million US dollars. The value of horticultural exports even increased by 37.75% compared to 2019.
Airlangga Hartarto as Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs also said that this increase in exports was the result of the dominance of domestic fruit which was the favorite during the pandemic.
Where, the value of fruit exports in 2020 alone reached 389.9 million US dollars. This figure has increased by 30.31 percent compared to 2019. The purposes of domestic fruit exports are also varied.
Starting from Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong and Malaysia to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Every year, domestic fruit production increases. If you pay attention, from 2000 to 2020 domestic fruit production increased by 6.06%.
Even though domestic fruit production is increasing, this is not in line with the awareness of the Indonesian people to consume domestic fruit every day. In fact, the average fruit consumption of Indonesian people in 2020 only reached 88.56 grams/capita/day.
This figure has decreased by 1.4 percent compared to the level of domestic fruit consumption in 2019. In fact, WHO has stated that the body's nutritional adequacy rate for fruit consumption is 150 grams/capita/day.
The low level of Indonesian people's consumption of domestic fruit has prompted the Government to take action. The action that the Government is taking is to hold Buah Nusantara 2021.
Holding Indonesian Fruit 2021, Come on, Eat Local Fruit!
This Nusantara Fruit Event event aims to increase awareness of the Indonesian people to consume more fruit every day. Apart from that, this event can also increase national economic growth.
In fact, the Nusantara Fruit Degree is an annual event which is always held every year and this year is the 6th time the Nusantara Fruit Degree has been held.
Paskomnas Indonesia as the organizer of this event presented a variety of local fruits with the best taste. They want this event to be a way to love and develop native Indonesian fruit products.
This bazaar from Gelar Buah Nusantara has been taking place from 9 August 2021 to 31 August 2021. Gelar Buah Nusantara or GBN has collaborated with carisayur.com and other e-commerce partners to provide quality local fruit.
By selling it online, the organizers want it to be easier for people to get and consume quality local fruit which is of course delicious and healthy.
So, Indonesian people can stay healthy during this pandemic. Apart from that, this Indonesian fruit event will also help the national economy to improve.
After knowing the fact that Indonesia's fruit exports have skyrocketed during the pandemic, but the people have minimal awareness of fruit, you can start to change, by diligently consuming local fruit that is delicious and healthy for the body.