Socfindo Conservation’s Herbal Garden at the Spices Exhibition

Spices are parts of plants that are used as seasonings, flavor enhancers, fragrances and food preservatives. Being closely related to Indonesian history, their production level is currently still below other countries such as India and Vietnam, even though their potential remains promising.

Spices can be distinguished from herbal plants because of their multi -functional role. Several types of spices such as the rhizome families: ginger, turmeric and galangal can indeed be used as herbal plants, whereas the contrary is generally not the case.

Today, the most exported Indonesian spices are Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Vanilla, Sichuan Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Turmeric and Cardamom. However, gingers, turmericand cardamom are mostly exported as herbal plants.

Socfindo Conservation had the opportunity to showcase their Herbal Garden’s project at the “Indonesia Spices Business Forum and Expo (ISBFE) 2021” which was organized by the Indonesian Spice Council from the 10th to the 12th December 2021 in Parapat, Lake Toba, North Sumatra.

The theme of the exhibition was “to reclaim the glory of Indonesian spices”. The Indonesian Spice Council is therefore working towards unifying the industry and its related parties to support the development of Indonesian spices in terms of regulation, marketing and cultivation.

Through the exhibition, the objective of the Indonesian Spice Council is to encourage stakeholders to increase the competitiveness of spices, herbal products and their derivatives in order to increase the Indonesian spices’ market share. Socfindo Conservation has taken on this challenge and has been hard at work developing a range of product that is the result of its member’s creativity.

On this occasion, Socfindo Conservation showcased herbal and massage oils that were beautifully packed and produced at its Herbal Garden together with its partner “Kelompok Tani Hortikultura Mandiri”.

Looking ahead, Socfindo Conservation is working on a program to focus on herbs and spices and looks forward to collaborate with its local communities towards conserving varieties and producing spice plants, especially Indonesian herbal plants and educating the public about their benefits.

It is envisioned that Socfindo Conservation’s herbal garden will enhance visitors’ perspective on spice plants, especially herbs, not only from an agricultural production point of view but also at the processing level which will definitely have a higher added value.