"Muria coffee has been promoted in such a way that (the coffee) must be registered as Kudus' special variety. We must not be overtaken by other districts," Kudus District Head Hartopo stated here Monday.
The district head admitted that in the past, Kudus District was overtaken by other districts in claiming the local plant varieties, such as in the case of parijoto (medinilla magnifica) and the pomelo orange (citrus maxima).
Hartopo spoke of having instructed regional authorities to handle the plant variety registration with the central authority.
Meanwhile, Kudus District Agriculture and Food Office's Sub-coordinator for Food Plants Arin Nikmah said that various requirements must be fulfilled before the district authority can register Muria coffee as Kudus' original special plant variety.
"We must obtain on-site observation data and find Muria coffee's mother plant that must be at least 20 years old," she stated.
Nikmah highlighted that as most coffee plants cultivated by local farmers originated from outside Kudus, the authority must exert more efforts to seek the mother plant that grows in Kudus.
Once the mother plant is found, observations of the plant's flowers and fruits, performed at least twice a year, are deemed necessary, according to the sub-coordinator.
"From the observation result, we will seek the uniqueness of Muria coffee with other coffee varieties, and when (we detect) a different stalk and leaf physiology, we can continue the process," Nikmah explained.
The registration with the ministry as a special local variety aims to protect the coffee's germplasm and the local varieties of Kudus District, she noted, adding that the nursery process can commence after the Agriculture Ministry issues a certificate.
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Translator: Akhmad Nazaruddin, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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