Pepper News

Jakarta, 17 September 2019 - Hotel Akmani was chosen to be the venue of the Pepper Day 2019 which was the 5th consecutives Pepper Day organized in Indonesia. This year Indonesian Pepper Day which took upon the concept of Discussion Forum, was themed "Indonesian Pepper Now and Then." This year Indonesian Pepper Day which was opened by Expert Staff on International Relation for the Minister of Trade, Mrs. Ir. Arlinda, MA, was attended by central and local government officials as well as key players of the pepper industry in Indonesia. In the opening speech, Mrs. Arlinda reminded the importance of drafting short and long terms domestic policy to develop the sustainability of the pepper industry in the future. She further pointed out that these strategical policies ought to include methods on increasing the consumption use of pepper and its marketing, campaigning on the use pepper for health, strengthening government and farmers institution as well as innovation and diversification of pepper-based product.

Furthermore, the Discussion Forum was led by Mr. Antonius Yudi Triantoro, Director of APEC and International Organization Negotiation, as the moderator. The discussion took in the views of pepper from Mr. Ari Satria, Director of Export Product Development, Ministry of Trade, Mrs. Galih Surti Solihin, Head of Sub Directorate for Pepper, Nutmeg and Clove, Directorate General of Plantations, Prof. Dr. Irmanida Batubara, Professor at the University of IPB, Ms. Yosefin Rosalia Wijaya, founder of "Pepper Secret" as the panelists. Panelists of the Indonesian Pepper Day 2019 touched upon the subject of Increasing Pepper Export through Co-operation with IPC, Strengthening the Plantation Institution and Indonesian Pepper Farmers Partnership, Health Benefit of Pepper and Indonesian Pepper Value Added Product. Furthermore, The Executive Director of the International Pepper Community, Ms. Hoang Thi Lien, also officiated the Pepper Day 2019 and shared her insight on the condition of the export and import of pepper between Indonesia and Viet Nam. She further pointed out that many of the pepper exported to Viet Nam were to undergo further process before being re-exported to destination country. She reminded Indonesian pepper industry the need of establishing pepper processing unit in the country so as to increase the value of Indonesian pepper in the world.

During this Pepper Day 2019, participants were introduced to "Pepper Secret" a company which produced an array of pepper value added products; body wash & lotion, soap, balm, essential oils, scented candles, scarfs, etc. Pepper Secret's value-added product uses only pepper from Belitung