PROCESSING KRATOM: Farmers in Kapuas Hulu are processing kratom leaves which have economic value. Kratom farmers and entrepreneurs feel they are not involved in discussions regarding plans to ban kratom commodities.
PONTIANAK – A number of kratom business actors from West Kalimantan have to bite their fingers. This is because the thousands of tons of commodities they sent to the United States were not paid for by buyers there. The value is no joke, the total reaches tens of billions of rupiah.
“There are so many kratom players in us who are affected. If I do my calculations, there may be a total of Rp. 25 billion that has not been paid since 2020 until now,” said Chairman of the Indonesian Horticultural Association of West Kalimantan, Suhaeri to the Pontianak Post , yesterday.
Unfortunately, the buyers from Uncle Sam’s country are official partners with clear names. “What I mean is not a fake buyer. They are importer entrepreneurs who are members of the American Kratom Association (AKA). Not this small nominal. And many have been affected, namely our collectors and farmers,” he said.
The losses for kratom exporters are not only from non-payment for their products by buyers. Many of their kratom products are also detained by United States government authorities, especially in several states where kratom is illegal. “Once we got there, it turned out that our shipment was detained. If the total loss is much greater,” he said.
Suhaeri also said that the AKA group was currently in Pontianak. It is planned that AKA will hold a meeting with the Provincial Government of West Kalimantan and a number of kratom associations, including PPHI at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Friday (12/8) today. Previously, AKA had met with the Indonesian Presidential Chief of Staff, Moeldoko at the Bina Graha Building, Jakarta, Monday (8/8/). The goal is to make kratom an official herbal plant by both parties.
The losses for kratom exporters are not only from non-payment for their products by buyers. Many of their kratom products are also detained by United States government authorities
