Strategies And Technologies To Accelerate Coconut Replanting In Indonesia
In Indonesia, out of the total coconut area of 3.86 million hectares about 98% belong to the smallholders. The total production was 3.08 million tons copra equivalent in 2008. More than seven millions coconut farmer families are engaged in the coconut industry. About 15% of the total coconut area (0.58 million hectares) are old and senile. Therefore, coconut productivity decreased about 50 kg per hectare or about 4.87% from the potential production during the 2006-2007 and it has directly affected the processing sector of the coconut industry. By signing the PNG Declaration in 2006, all APCC member countries have committed to implementing the continuous coconut planting/ replanting programme.
This paper discusses the Coconut Breeding Development programmes implemented in the last four decades, Coconut Replanting and Seed Gardening programmes, and Strategies to Accelerate the Replanting Program in Indonesia. Coconut Integrated Development Program in 2005-2025 implemented by Directorate of Estate Crops has two targets i.e.; Medium Term Programme (2005-2009) and Long Term Programme (2010-2025). The medium term (2006-2009) replanting programme targeted 500,000 hectares and 1,125,000 hectares to be planted under long term programme (2010-2015). The progress evaluation of replanting after five years (2005-2009) revealed that the achievements were far below the target of 100,000 hectares per year. During the period of 2006-2009, coconut replanting covered only 25,751 hectares. The main factors affecting the slow progress of the programme were budgetary constraints, lack of planting materials and high transportation cost of seed nuts/seedlings.The use of cheap coconut planting materials is more successful. Identification of High Yielding Block (HYB) followed by selection of high yielding palm in HYB of local tall is efficient and effective strategy in coconut replanting. During 2005-2009, the result of identification HYB and selection of Coconut Mother Palm (CMP) was about 2,212 hectares, and it was sufficient to supply 1,647,250 seed nuts for replanting about 8,236 hectares. In 2010-2014, Directorate General of Estate Crops has planned the replanting of 187,983 hectares. The commitment of local government in each Province, Regency, private sector and coconut processors are equally important to accelerate the coconut replanting programme. Unilever Foundation in Indonesia has contributed 12,400 tall coconut seedlings to coconut farmers in Ciamis Regency, West Java Province. Central Sulawesi and North Sulawesi Provinces are also planning to plant one million coconut seedlings during 2010-2012.