The Coordinating Ministry for the Economy of the Republic of Indonesia chose Bondowoso to be one of the demonstration plots or demonstration plots for planting export-quality Cavendish bananas in Indonesia. In this case, PT Great Giant Pineapple is the off-taker or guarantor of the demonstration plot farming commodities.

The Cavendish banana product from the Bondowoso demonstration plot won praise from the Indonesian Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Mendes PDTT), Abdul Halim Iskandar.

Minister Halim’s praise came out during the first harvest of Cavendish bananas at the Agriculture and Food Security Agency’s nursery demonstration plot, Maskuning Kulon Village, Pujer District, Bondowoso, Saturday, November 26 2022.

“Cavendish bananas from the Bondowoso demonstration plot are the best among the other demonstration plots in East Java,” he said.

Minister Halim asked Bondowoso Regent Salwa Arifin to immediately expand the area for planting export-oriented bananas, which in Indonesia are known as Ambon Putih bananas. Because, the government supports the expansion of the Cavendish banana land in Bondowoso.

“The Ministry of Health also fully supports Cavendish bananas from Bondowoso to continue to exist in the future. One of them is through BUMDes so that it is easy to coordinate in developing Cavendish bananas,” he said.

In line with Minister Halim, Deputy Governor (Wagub) of East Java, Emil Elistianto Dardak also said that the quality of Cavendish bananas from the first harvest of the Bondowoso demonstration plot was the best compared to other demonstration plots in East Java. For this reason, the Bondowoso Regency Government needs to expand the Cavendish banana land, because the export market is open and the potential for a large turnover.

With the quality of the Cavendish bananas produced, Bondowoso can become a center for producing Cavendish bananas in East Java, and even Indonesia. “So Bondowoso will not only be known for his tapes and coffee. But, get ready to become Bondowoso Banana Republic,” he said.

Minister Halim and Deputy Governor Emil Dardak first harvested Cavendish bananas at the Maskuning Kulon Village Dispertapang Garden demonstration plot, Pujer District, accompanied by Bondowoso Regent Salwa Arifin, Regional Secretary Bambang Soekwanto, as well as a number of officials from the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Village PDTT. Also present were the Regents of Jember, Banyuwangi, Ponorogo, and Bener Meriah, Aceh.

The first harvest of Cavendish bananas from the Bondowoso demonstration plot was the result of planting on January 29, 2022. At that time, the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and Regent Salwa Arifin first planted 2,425 Cavendish banana seedlings in a 1.6 hectare demonstration plot.

“After 10 months since planting, the result is now that Cavendish bananas from the Bondowoso demonstration plot are being harvested,” said the Head of Bondowoso Dispertapang, Hendri Widotono, Saturday, November 26, 2022.