Bali exporting 23.7-ton vanilla during January-May period in 2010, it raised 37.28 percent compared to the same period last year was 17.3 ton.

Vanilla export value resulting foreign exchange US $382.113 during that period, it raised 43.07 percent compared to the same period last year that was US $267.074, said head of Publication and Documentation Division of Public Relationship and Protocol Bureau Bali Provincial Government, I Ketut Teneng, on Monday.

He said that vanilla is one of the three commodities succeeded entering export market, whilst the other two are cacao and coffee wholly could give US $440.759 foreign exchange during its first five months in 2010.
That condition showed slight increase of 0.19 percent compared with the previous period which able to result in US $324.410

He said that the vanilla comes from several regions in Indonesia and marketed through Bali.

Meanwhile head of Bali Provincial Plantation Agency, Ir. Made Sudharta, M.S. in a separate occasion said that his party is still evaluating and developing the vanilla tree whilst waiting for exact market time benefiting the farmers.

Still, the existed vanilla trees need to receive intensive treatment so there will be no large-scale expansion. In conducting that evaluation, his party will pointed out at the maintenance effort for preserving process in order to raise the quality of vanilla production.

Bali actually has great potential in vanilla developmental field, but until today, it has yet utilized to maximum. In Bali land for developing vanilla plantation merely 806 hectare and among it, 346.9 hectare of them is productive plantation that contradicting the suitable potential for vanilla development that could reach 4.500 hectare.

“If the evaluation result and vanilla development study has bright prospect and give benefit to the farmer then certainly the land for this plantation development would grow larger,” said Made Sudharta.

He added that while he evaluating and studying it in 2009 with the fund supported by Bali budgetary and fund; he had conducted 15.000 vanilla plants for farmer group for them to develop it.

“Technically the seedling is able to fulfill the needs of seed in developing five hectare land,” said Made Sudharta.

News by Antara Bali