Simalungun, North Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The district administration of Simalungun, North Sumatra, plans to grow arabica coffee in 10 of its 31 sub=district areas.

"There are around 9,460 hectares of coffee plantations with potential production of more than one ton of coffee beans per hectare in a year," head of the district plantation office Amran Sinaga said.

Simalungun which mostly lies 1,000-1,400 meters above the sea surface is suitable for coffee plantations, Sinaga said here on Monday.

He said the district administration will help coffee farmers to increase their productivity by offering high yield variety seed and and provide agricultural extension for farmers about crop care, etc.

He said the district administration will seek patent right for its coffee products and help the farmers in expanding market in the country and abroad.

"Soon the ministry of justice and human rights and experts from Jakarta will inspect the plantation in connection with the legalization of the proposed patent right," he said.

In a bid to guarantee market , the district administration has held communications with an international scale far commodity company, he added.

"Among the 10=sub-district areas, we will concentrate first in the Purba sub-district," he said.

Indonesia is the worlds fourth largest coffee producer but its coffee production is dominated by robusta.

(H-ASG/F001)

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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