Judul: Development Strategy of Aloe vera in Peat Areas in Support of Pontianak City Regional Development
Abstrak: Aloe vera which is also known as "lidah buaya" constitutes as one of Pontianak leading commodities having the uniqueness and characteristic of West Kalimantan Province. Pontianak City has become the largest production center of Aloe vera in Indonesia, Aloe vera and its growing on peatland requires special treatment in its cultivation. The Local Government has undertaken various steps in its development but the production, however, does not meet the market demand since the farmers have no incentives to increase production. The unproportional income received by farmers compared to those earned by Aloe vera entrepreneurs could also be the cause of farmers not to increase production. Aloe vera flour industry which is expected to increase farmers interest to boost Aloe vera production faces marketing constraints. Both agribusiness development strategy and Aloe vera flour industrial development are needed to encourage farmers to increase production. Based on the above problems, this study aims at: (1) Predicting the demand outlook of Aloe vera, (2) Identifying Aloe vera market chain that benefits farmers, (3) Determining financial feasibility of Aloe vera flour industry, (4) Developing Aloe vera agribusiness development strategy. This research was conducted in Pontianak using both primary and secondary data. Primary data took the form of interviews and questionnaires given to the stakeholders while secondary data were obtained from institutions/organizations both public and private regarding aloevera’s total production and its acreage, export data, data on home industry, financial data of PT . Aloevera Indonesia, data on area condition in general and others. The method of analysis used in this study comprises of a model of Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), Marketing Margin Analysis, Financial Analysis and A'WOT Analysis (combination of AHP and SWOT) . Aloe vera future demand is predicted to continue to increase. In 2013, Aloe vera demand will increase to 6 654 tons or equivalent to about 4.6 % and shall continue increasing to 8 880 tons, or about 7% of 2012 production level by 2018. Development of Aloe vera’s flour industry in Pontianak will encourage farmers to increase production. Marketing chain that benefits farmers is the one that directly links farmers to retailers or users such as Aloe vera’s flour industry. The results on financial feasibility calculation has shown that Aloe vera’s flour industry should be developed in the city of Pontianak as it would constitute a direct marketing chain from the farmers to Aloe vera’s flour industry. Development strategy that the local Government should do in making Aloe vera agribusiness to run well are, among others, to have a direct marketing from farmers to Aloe vera users, to expand Aloe vera planting areas as well as to provide assistance in the form of ash and fertilizers to help farmers to increase Aloe vera production, to improve Aloe vera flour quality in order to meet market demand, to construct Aloe vera flour plants, to construct roads in the area of agribusiness centers as well as industrial estates, to provide technological assistance on Aloe vera flour industry and to create a business climate conducive to export development .
Keyword: Aloe vera agribusiness, peat, Aloe vera flour industry, regional development