Indonesia's Sago and Artisan Chocolate Industries Show Tremendous Potential for Development

INTI- Indonesia's sago and artisan chocolate industries hold immense potential for further growth and development. The remarkable interest from foreign partners during the Hannover Messe 2023 exhibition held in Hannover, Germany, last April serves as evidence of the industries' prospects. PT Bangka Asindo Agro, one of the sago processing companies, recorded potential transactions worth IDR 6 billion.

Potential partners expressing interest in collaborating with the sago and artisan chocolate industries hailed from Germany, Uzbekistan, and the Netherlands. "To promote the growth of the sago processing and artisan chocolate industries, we have conducted a working meeting to explore their potential and devise strategic steps," explained Putu Juli Ardika, the Director-General of Agro Industry at the Ministry of Industry, on Friday (May 26) in Jakarta.

According to Putu, sago flour is a local resource with significant potential for development as an alternative staple food. "With a sufficiently high starch content, sago plantations can yield 6.25 to 7.5 tons of starch per hectare per year, assuming only 25 sago trees are harvested per hectare. Thus, the potential starch production can reach 41.25 million tons of sago starch per year," explained Putu.

Sago starch also offers health advantages, as it is gluten-free, has a low glycemic index, and contains high resistance starch, making it suitable for consumption by individuals with diabetes. The utilization of sago can contribute to food security, given its abundant availability, enabling it to be stored for extended periods, both as starch products and live plants. Sago can also be developed for export markets through its derivative products.

"Sago can be used as a raw material for a wide range of food products, including rice analogs, instant noodles, and sweeteners. Additionally, sago can be utilized as a raw material for bioethanol, biogas, and biodegradable plastics," added Putu.

The extensive development potential requires collaboration among all stakeholders. Steps that can be taken to develop the sago industry include utilizing Special Allocation Funds (DAK) for infrastructure development, promotional activities, and attracting new investors. The Directorate-General of Agro Industry has prepared an action plan for the development of the sago industry in 2023. The action plan focuses on establishing sago industrial plantations, mapping sago and sago starch production, identifying sago demand potential, and promoting inclusive investment in sago processing.

Meanwhile, the artisan chocolate industry in Indonesia also holds significant potential for optimization. Currently, there are 31 artisan chocolate producers with an installed capacity of 1,242 tons per year and a market share of 1.3% of Indonesia's chocolate market potential, which stands at 10%. This figure still has room for improvement, considering the market's increasing prioritization of chocolate product quality.

Putu emphasized that the potential for artisan chocolate development remains open. This is due to Indonesia's position on the equator, which provides an ideal environment for cocoa cultivation. Currently, there are 16 premium cocoa bean locations, each with unique flavors and stories from different regions, to be shared with consumers.

"Artisan chocolate is a downstream product made from premium cocoa beans, with a special production process resulting in high-quality chocolate products with distinct flavors. Furthermore, these products offer compelling storytelling elements for consumers, and there are still 600 chocolate flavors in Indonesia that need to be explored by industry players," explained Putu.

The Indonesian artisan chocolate industry is now moving towards the bean-to-bar concept, which places great emphasis on the quality of cocoa as the raw material. Some Indonesian artisan chocolates have even reached the craft chocolate stage, using 100% fermented cocoa beans with rare or unique varieties, resulting in distinctive flavor profiles, secondary flavors, and aromas. Craft chocolate is produced by chocolate makers who oversee every stage, from selecting raw materials to the final product.

"We need to increase the number of chocolate makers to support the growth of the chocolate industry. Enhancing the competence of artisan chocolate professionals should involve the participation of chocolate makers and experts. This can be initiated through the establishment of a group or a forum for communication among artisan chocolate professionals, serving as a platform for knowledge sharing and networking," stated the Director-General of Agro Industry.

Enhancing the competence of human resources in the artisan chocolate industry is part of the action plan for the development of the industry by the Directorate-General of Agro Industry in 2023. The action plan includes forming an artisan chocolate industry association, enhancing human resource capacity, and promoting artisan chocolate products.

"The introduction of artisan chocolate needs to be done through promotion, competitions, and even future international events to further showcase the quality and uniqueness of artisan chocolate flavors," concluded Putu. ***

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