Waste of Coconut Shell Become an Export Commodity

One of the most abundant agricultural products in Indonesia is coconut. Often waste of shell or coconut shell removed. Though coconut shell could be raw raw materials can be processed into charcoal. Coconut shell charcoal products as semi-finished raw materials can be reprocessed into innovative charcoal products.

Of course the business advantage of coconut shell briquettes is not a small value even though the export demand is very high. Coconut charcoal is used as an active carbon material used for various purposes, one of them as a fuel because it has 7,340 calories of energy to produce higher heat than regular wood charcoal briquettes. In addition to using other sisha tools, typical of middle eastern cigarette.

Looking at business opportunities, Totok Untung is now working on coconut shell briquette export business and buyers from all over the world, namely Russia, America, Belgium, Germany, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia. With the background of a teacher (lecturer) at a private university, Totok does not understand the ins and outs of the export business. Initially Totok attended an integrated coconut management training to produce pure coconut oil (VCO) in Jogja and taught to make briquettes. After the training Totok ventured to buy a briquette processing machine from Bandung and the first buyer from Sweden with 1 container. It turned out that when the first sample delivery failed on the quality of the unsuitable goods upon arrival at the destination.

Challenges facing Totok do not dampen his spirit to continue to wrestle with briquette business that has just been pioneered. In 2006 Totok got first buyers from Lebanon. To boost sales even better, Totok modify the products and machines that he uses. In 2007, Totok was aware of Alibaba.com's international online sales and purchasing system and at that time he decided to register as a paid member of Gold Member. Unexpectedly, at that time Totok got enough buyers from China's largest B2B online market. Within a month Totok can order 3 to 4 containers. The constraint faced is the limited production due to limited working hours associated with working hours in residential complexes. In addition, the increase in the price of charcoal is increasingly an obstacle for charcoal entrepreneurs, it is necessary to regulate the export of coconut seeds that help bring the coconut shell as a raw material for the manufacture of charcoal required by the briquette company.

Overcoming the increasingly tight competition of briquettes, Totok plays in high end market where the quality of the charcoal is sold 100% pure charcoal from coconut shell (does not contain mix) and durability of charcoal burning longer. Charcoal shell products are also considered more environmentally friendly because it does not damage the plant, such as mangrove plants. "It's not easy for customers to switch to other briquettes, even with a small price difference if they know 100% quality of pure customers will remain loyal" says Totok explaining buyer behavior for this.

With a large export market opportunity, coconut shell raw material needs will be greater. The opportunity should also be utilized by small and medium entrepreneurs to utilize coconut shells to contribute to foreign exchange earnings through the export of coconut shell charcoal.