Meratus Mountains planted with 10 hectares of coffee

Barabai, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The South Kalimantan Plantation and Livestock Agency held the 2022 national Coffee Planting Movement (GERTAK) in the area of the Agricultural Extension Center in Hantakan Sub-district, Central Hulu Sungai (HST), which is in the Meratus Mountains area, Wednesday (January 25, 2022).

"This year Liberika coffee development will be carried out 10 hectares in Barito Kuala, 8 hectares in Tabalong, and 10 hectares in HST," said Head of the agency Hj Suparmi.

She said the development of coffee has become a regional priority program, in addition to other superior commodities, such as oil palm and rubber. "This action is also a support for the triple export activity (GRATIEKS), either through replanting, expansion, or intensification of coffee plants," she expounded.

Currently, the coffee plantation area in South Kalimantan is 2,885 hectares, with a total production of 1,124 tons. Several efforts have been made in the development of coffee, including the development of a double spacing pattern on rubber plants.

Namely by diversifying, integrating, identifying potential lands and providing technical guidance on coffee cultivation and processing.

Deputy Regent of HST H Mansyah Sabri said that in line with the central and provincial government programs, the HST government would provide support in the development of local coffee in the Meratus area.

"Namely by diversifying coffee plants in Patikalain village, 15,000 stems of Robusta coffee that will be accommodated by the 2022 budget funds," he said.

According to him, coffee plant has strategic value as a soil and water conservation plant because its roots have the property of protecting and holding the soil from erosion, in accordance with the topography of the mountainous area in Hantakan which has an unstable soil structure and is prone to landslides during the rainy season.

"I really have high hopes through the coffee plantation business, hopefully HST can become a national coffee commodity agribusiness center, as well as an educational and tourism destination based on agro-tourism according to the regional potential," he said.