Lebak Has Potential, Kalbe Introduces Red Ginger Ecosystem That Can Benefit Farmers

Reporting from RadarBanten.co.id, the potential of natural resources (SDA) in Lebak Regency is acknowledged by PT Kalbe Farma TBK (Kalbe).

Head of External Communications of PT Kalbe Farma Tbk, Hari Nugroho agrees that Lebak itself has natural resource potential that strongly supports red ginger farmer.

For this reason, his party through Negeri Jahe Merah program designed by the Bintang Toedjoe Natural Innovation (BINA) Business Unit, is currently developing this potential by introducing the red ginger ecosystem to farmers in Lebak.

The ecosystem has seven process pillars, namely red ginger seedling, red ginger planting, post-harvest, extraction or distillation, pharmacology, commercialization, and community development.

“The red ginger ecosystem built by Bintang Toedjoe's subsidiary is one of the company's efforts to support the medicinal raw materials in Indonesia, especially herbs," said Hari when he was at red ginger field, Muncang District, Lebak Regency, Tuesday, July 16, 2022.

In this development, Hari stated that through BINA, Bintang Toedjoe's B2B division that focuses on natural raw materials, focuses on and promotes the sustainability and availability of the best red ginger.

“Kalbe always considers sustainability in carrying out the company's operations, especially the positive impact on the environment, society, and all relevant stakeholders. This is in order to achieve the goal of Kalbe's sustainability initiative, namely Bersama Sehatkan Bangsa," he said.

Head of Commercialization BINA PT Bintang Toedjoe, Lidya Warjaya said that her party is concerned with the progress of red ginger agricultural production, with the target that Indonesia can become the country with the largest red ginger production in the world.

For this reason, her party will provide guidance to farmers through the BINA program and provide welfare guarantees, such as scholarships for farmers' children, as well as providing a reasonable price for each ginger harvested by the farmers.

"We want to make this red ginger into an icon that Indonesia can be proud of, so through this BINA program we will continue to empower farmers and guarantee their market," she said.

The program in collaboration with the Astra Bakti Fund Foundation is located in Hariang Village, Sobang, Lebak, Banten. One of the reasons for choosing the location of the red ginger area is because farmers in Lebak have the potential to be fostered to produce the best red ginger.

“In Lebak, we chose it because the farmers have potential and we want to advance the Baduy region. The location is also suitable. After being tested, the quality also meets the standards," said PT Bintang Toedjoe's Head of Sourcing & Comdev BINA, Daru Wibowo.

Currently, the Redgine variant consists of various products which are red ginger extract premium powder, red ginger extract standardized powder, red ginger powder, instant red ginger powder with palm sugar, fresh red ginger, red ginger simplicia, red ginger oil, red ginger liquid extract standardized.

In addition, it is also used for Bintang Toedjoe products, namely BEJO Red Ginger, Bejo Sujamer, Herbal Komix, Ginger Herbal Komix, Lime Herbal Komix, Kids Herbal Komix, and Peppermint Herbal Komix.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Lebak Agriculture Service, Rahmat Yuniar, admitted that he strongly supports the BINA program from Kalbe. According to him, the program, which provides an understanding of the red ginger ecosystem, is able to foster farmers to produce the best red ginger with an increasing quantity from year to year.

“I am very grateful for this program. Because it is not only the quality and quantity of red ginger that has increased, but also human resources can be increased, ranging from attitudes, behavior, knowledge, and skills. In fact, it can attract young people to become millennial farmers," said Rahmat Yuniar.

Rahmat revealed, currently there are red ginger production areas at 6 sub-districts in Lebak Regency, namely Muncang, Sobang, Curugbitung, Cirinten, Leuwidamar, and Maja sub-districts.

In addition, he continued, 28 sub-districts in Lebak Regency have the potential to develop red ginger agriculture.

"Thank God, red ginger harvest in Lebak Regency continues to increase every year, and indeed at this time we become the largest red ginger production in Banten. We hope that Kalbe can continue to support red ginger farmers in Lebak,” he concluded.