VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Head of East Nusa Tenggara's (NTT's) Village Community Empowerment Service Sinun Petrus Manuk confirmed receiving a demand from Japan for 40 tons moringa flour produced by the village enterprise of M'rian, Kufeu, Malaka, per week.

"Moringa flour produced by the village enterprises of M'rian in Kufeu has attracted Japanese companies that are demanding a supply of 40 tons of the commodity per week," he told Antara here on Monday.

Manuk noted that a team from Japan, during a visit to Kufeu Village to closely observe the condition of soil, water, and moringa stems and leaves, found that organic moringa could meet Japan's market demand.

He expounded that the provincial government had coordinated with the Malaka district administration, village administration, and manager of the M'rian Village Enterprise to boost production to meet export demands.

"Since moringa production at Kufeu is good, it has been processed into various products, such as moringa flour, soap, and body moisturizers, but its production capacity is yet small," he pointed out.

Currently, the land area for moringa production in Io Kufeu District reaches some 80 hectares, he noted, adding that it will be expanded in five more villages, with 20 hectares each, in the sub-districts.

"Thus, the total land area can reach almost 200 hectares, and this is what we are pushing together in order to meet the foreign market demand," he remarked.

However, Manuk pointed to existing shortages in management facilities for moringa, including drying houses, as currently, the district only has one drying house and one storage machine, with a production capacity of 10 kilograms per hour.

To this end, Manuk confirmed that his side, along with several local village administrations, had agreed to build drying houses in five villages.

"Currently, drying houses are being built, and hopefully, by the end of July, they would have been used," he stated.

Manuk confirmed that his side had also added one storage machine, with an hourly production capacity of 10 kilograms, for the M'rian village enterprise in Kufeu Village as a production center.

"The number of machines will increase since the governor (NTT Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat) has promised to help provide 10 machines of higher capacity," he added