The downstreaming process of Lampung coffee to its derivative products will take place in and be managed by villages
Bandarlampung, Lampung (ANTARA) - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan stated that the ministry is committed to supporting the downstreaming of Lampung coffee by creating added value for the local commodity.

While commending the local authority's plan to proceed with downstreaming of the coffee commodity to the village level, the minister reaffirmed the commitment to assist the process thoroughly.

"What (the local authority) needed to support the Lampung local coffee downstreaming, the ministry is ready to help. (The downstreaming is important) as when I was abroad several times, (I found) that local coffee dominates in their respective regions, and the demand for imported coffee is less high," Hasan stated at an MSMEs event here, Wednesday.

He explained that coffee downstreaming would increase the quality of local coffee products that could satisfy domestic and foreign demands.

"The regional authority must take the initiative to expand downstreaming of the local commodity into quality products. Hence, Lampung coffee will be the main coffee in its own region," the minister remarked.

Moreover, the downstreaming process will help bolster the quality and standard of Lampung coffee product that could in turn improve the residents' livelihood, he remarked.

"If the downstreaming process proceeds well, consumers could have an affordable local coffee product with reliable quality, and our local products will be the master in their own home," Hasan emphasized.

Meanwhile, Lampung Governor Arinal Djunaidi suggested that instead of outright selling of coffee beans, the commodity would undergo a downstreaming process by making it into coffee powder to increase the value.

He said that the downstreaming process would be conducted in villages.

"The downstreaming process of Lampung coffee to its derivative products will take place in and be managed by villages. Farmers, who plant the coffee, will be the ones to process it to become coffee powder," Djunaidi explained.

To support the process, the local authority will provide manufacturing equipment units to help maintain product quality and assistance for local farmers, he remarked.

With a total of 156,918 hectares of coffee plantation and 142,511 farmers working in the sector, the province's coffee production is projected to reach 200 thousand tons. To achieve the goal, the local authority continues to push for a centralized commodity downstreaming process in villages.

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Translator: Ruth Intan SK, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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