Sinondang, Traditional Organic Coffe

MANADO, ZONAUTARA.com – Sinondag is an organic coffee brand produced by Farmers Group of Bobungayon, Bilalang Village, North Kotamobagu District. The processing is still doing manually by relying on human.

The farmer group is headed by Asni Mokoginta, people from Bilalang Dua Village, and has 25 members. Each member have a coffee plantage with an area of ​​approximately one hectare. The location of Poktan Bobungayon’s coffee plantage is in the Bobungayon area.

To Zona Utara journalist team, while visiting the coffee plantage on November 27, 2017, Asni explained that Poktan coffee business was formed in 2015. When it was formed, they did not know exactly what is meant by the term organic coffee. Through the counseling and training sought by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Kotamobagu City, they finally understood that organic coffee is more important than coffee using chemical fertilizers.

In 2016, Poktan Kopi Bobungayon successfully obtained certificate of organic farming, from Indonesian Organic Farming Certification (Inofice). Since then, Poktan Bobungayon has been intensely had trained about organic coffee.

The journalist trip team was invited to enter their production area. Inside had a Lesung to pound coffee, a large frying pan with roasting stoves, and a coffee bean grinder.

“To produce organic coffee, we still use simple equipment and still traditional,” said Asni.

Due to the traditional equipment, the production of their organic coffee powder can not be much produce.

“We need more time in roaster process. We have to do it thoroughly and precisely. The size of the flame affects the roasting result. Coffee can be burn,” explains Poktan Coffee Bobungayon.

The roasting result was the main determinant of the production, the word ‘Poktan’ was chosen to be the label of organic coffee powder packaging in Bolaang language called Sinondag.

Local market is the main choice to supply this organic coffee.

In order to be in demand and compete, we have to sell it at promotional prices aka low prices, Rp 10.000 per 100 grams,” said Asni.

Poktan Bobungayon also produces organic coffee of green beans. With the two processed products, green beans and powder, Asni hopes, the Government can help their marketing problems.

Editor: Ronny A. Buol