The Future of Indonesia’s Industries Could Include a 500-Acre Herbal Plantation

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s industries may potentially expand and include the production of herbal medicine, based on a plan by Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan.

He plans to manufacture herbal medicine and reduce the nation’s reliance on imported raw materials for medicinal products.

Should the plan be realized, the Coordinating Minister intends to establish a 500-acre herbal plantation in Toba Lake, North Sumatera.

Read also: China Market Offers Huge Potential for Indonesia’s Traditional Herbal Products, Medicinal Plants

Septian Hario Seto, the Deputy of the Coordinating Department of Investment and Mining at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment, said that Luhut’s plan is to provide the land which also encompasses his hometown.

“Luhut’s personal initiative is to have 500 acres of land in Lake Toba designated as an herbal plantation.”

Luhut Pandjaitan has taken the extra step to invite herbal medicinal product manufacturers such as Dexamedika to forge a partnership for the research of raw materials that will be grown.

Read also: Erick Thohir: Indonesia Must Achieve Food Security and Reduce Import Reliance

In a sign to get moving on diversifying Indonesia’s industries, two Chinese universities, Zhejiang University and Yunnan University, have been tapped for the research initiative.

"We tapped Zhejiang because they developed an artificial intelligence system that can detect the substance level of herbal medicinal products.”

“When combined with other aspects, they know what herbs are good for which treatments. They have very advanced research there.”

Read also: Indonesia Starts Development of Food Estate Program in Central Kalimantan

Similar to Luhut’s plans to move Indonesia’s industries away from import reliance, the central government has been working to create an herbal plantation in an Integrated Industrial Zone situated in Batang Regency, Central Java.

“We are working to compete in the production of raw materials for medicine. Together with the Indonesian Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises, we are pushing to obtain 200-300 acres of land at the industrial zone for the production of raw materials of medicines.”

“The basic infrastructure there will be for wastewater treatment. The Indonesian government will invest in waste management facilities.”

(Writer: Ade Miranti Karunia | Editor: Ambaranie Nadia Kemala Movanita)

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2020/12/21/155234526/luhut-berencana-bangun-kebun-herbal-seluas-500-hektare-di-danau-toba