Restoring Prabumulih Pineapples’ Heyday

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Hais

Hais, 57, has cultivated a 4-hectare pineapple plantation amid his rubber estates for the fulfillment of his determination to prevent the loss of Prabumulih pineapples. This plantation serves as a milestone of Prabumulih pineapples’ restoration to their heyday decades ago.

Around six years ago, Hais opened pineapple areas in Patih Galung, Prabumulih district, Prabumulih city, South Sumatra. At the time, he only grew pineapple plants as a catch crop in his rubber estates. “I just raised the plants as an intercrop among the rubber trees I had rejuvenated,” he said on Tuesday (25/5/2021).

Hais obtained pineapple seedlings from his sibling’s plantation near his rubber estates. The pineapples of the queen variety he produced were very sweet with a moderate water grade. This variety proved to be most suited to soil condition in Prabumulih. “The fruit is very tasty, unsurprisingly Prabumulih is called the pineapple city,” he pointed out.

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However, after three years, he realized that pineapple plants would not thrive as a catch crop. As the rubber trees grew, the pineapple plants became stunted. “Since then, I’ve cultivated a pineapple plantation on a stretch of land,” he revealed.

The pineapple cultivation had the mission of preserving the fruit and restoring the heyday of Prabumulih pineapples. Around 1980, Prabumulih pineapples were a regional, even national, prized commodity.

“The sweet taste made Prabumulih pineapples sought after by tourists visiting Prabumulih. Pineapple sellers could be found in nearly every alley of the city,” said the father of six.

Kompas

Hais

Many residents later turned to other commodities like oil palm and rubber so that pineapples were scarce. “Pineapples were only the city’s icon. The pineapples sold in Prabumulih also mostly came from neighboring regions,” said Hais.

The sweet taste of Prabumulih pineapples is around 13 Brix degrees higher than that of most pineapples in Indonesia.

Based on data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), pineapple production in Prabumulih in 2020 totaled about 9,552 tons. It was lower than the amounts produced by two adjacent regencies, which are Ogan Ilir (81,782 tons) and Muara Enim (20,821 tons).

In fact, according to Hais, the flavor of Prabumulih pineapples is unique due to its soil condition and cultivation process. Hais even claims Prabumulih’s queen pineapples are sweeter than those existing in Indonesia. “The sweet taste of Prabumulih pineapples is around 13 Brix degrees higher than that of most pineapples in Indonesia, rated at about 8-11 Brix degrees,” he said.

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It took around a year and 4 months for him to raise pineapple seedlings into the productive plantation. Through his perseverance, the expanse of pineapple plants grown by Hais can now produce about 1,000 pineapples per day. This fruit has now been delivered to South Sumatra’s nearby areas, even as far as Jakarta. “I send around 6,500 pineapples to Jakarta per delivery,” he said.

He still retains some quantity for consumers in Prabumulih city, who are those visiting his plantation to observe among others pineapple processing into various products and buy the fruit costing only Rp 3,000.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Candy from processed pineapple made by Hais, a farmer in the Patih Galung area, West Prabumulih District, Prabumulih City, South Sumatra, Tuesday (25/5/2021).

Derivative products

Not only selling pineapples, Hais also processes the fruit into several products like jams, chips, syrups, preserved fruit and candies. Pineapples can also serve as a textile dye and their leaves can be spun into yarns for weaving cloths.

“At least 50 derivative products can be processed from pineapples,” said Hais, who gets his pineapple processing skill from YouTube. “I learn it myself and directly develop it in practice,” he added.

I’m doing all this to serve the sole purpose of preserving Prabumulih pineapples

Hais, only a primary school graduate, maintains that one’s capability comes from the willingness to learn. His wife, Yusmaidah, also helps him process pineapples and sometimes gives input that improves their processing products.

Later, Hais shared his knowledge with the younger generation. “I’ve invited 30 youths to join the creative work. A number of college students also often come here to watch pineapple processing,” he said.

Processing pineapples into diverse products will turn out value added. By cultivating his plantation and processing the fruit, Hais can even earn around Rp30 million per month.

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Hais was once offered by an exporter from China to cooperate. The pineapple export price was fixed at Rp6,000. The exporter even would receive all forms of pineapple he had produced. But he rejected the offer.

He thought that when Prabumulih pineapples were all delivered for exports, none would be left. “In this way, Prabumulih pineapples will just leave their name in their own city,” he said. This was feared to cause the loss of Prabumulih’s identity as the pineapple city.

Today many residents are interested in raising pineapple plants. They are converting their rubber estates into stretches of pineapple plantations that are more profitable.

The Prabumulih city administration is also attracted by the concept initiated by Hais. He is even asked by the city authorities to develop pineapple plants in several locations as yet unproductive. He is voluntarily prepared to assist all parties wishing to promote this crop. “I’m doing all this to serve the sole purpose of preserving Prabumulih pineapples,” he concluded.

Hais

Born: Semendo, 10 May 1964

Wife: Yusmadiah, 55

Education:

- Gistang Primary School, North Lampung

- Kasui Junior High School, North Lampung Utara (unfinished)

This article was translated by Aris Prawira