Challenges in the Development of Porang Tuber Processing Industry with the Fishbone Diagram Approach

Abstract

Wonogiri Regency is one of the porang tuber-producing areas in Central Java, Indonesia, but the porang processing industry has not developed in the area. Various obstacles are the factors causing the underdeveloped porang processing industry so that the added value of processed porang is not enjoyed by the farmers. These various obstacles need to be studied more thoroughly to determine the solutions. The empirical research study was carried out in Wonogiri Regency. The research respondents were porang farmers, traders, processing industries inside and outside Wonogiri Regency, and government officials. Data were analyzed using a fishbone approach. This study has identified five challenges: market, production, technology, human resources, and government policy. The most significant obstacle is the monopsony market, which is difficult for farmers to penetrate. Limited access to market and price information makes it safer for farmers to sell porang in tuber form. The uninterrupted availability of porang tubers and limited supply from other regions have prevented the processing industry from achieving an economic production scale. Porang contains oxalic acid, which has to be removed with a particular technology. The technology for separating glucomannan contained in porang tubers has not been mastered by farmers, even though this glucomannan has a high economic value. On the other hand, porang tuber is not a strategic food priority so local government policies do not prioritize developing the porang processing industry.