The use of improved cajuput seeds to encourage self-sufficiency in cajuput oil in Indonesia

Abstract

Melaleuca cajuput sub sp cajuput is an indigenous species in Indonesia which primarily used for the cajuput oil industry. The demand for cajuput oil is reported at around 3,500 tons/year, while the national capacity production is only around 600 tons years−1 due to lack of grower interest in planting and low productivity of the existing plantations. Following the success of the genetic improvement of cajuput in which oil yield and cineole content are improved, carried out by CFBTI, a program to increase oil production through developing plantations using genetically improved seeds was developed in six provinces. Five small-growers and one company were involved in the program covering 35 ha and 2000 ha of a plantation, respectively. This paper aims to report the progress of the program by focusing on the impact of the improved seed and people’s participation in developing cajuput plantations. The paper also discusses the projected impact for further development of the plantations, including government policy to support increased national production of cajuput oil as well as ensuring the market. The results showed that oil productivity varied among small-grower sites ranging from 93.75 to 171.6 kg ha−1 year−1, while for the company it could be increased to reach oil productivity of 175.5 kg ha−1 year−1 through innovative technology either in the plantation or in the distillation process. As compared to the previous system using ordinary un-improved seed, the oil productivity in the program increased around 62 – 116 %. The program also revealed that the cajuput industry could be managed effectively and efficiently while maintaining the sustainability and continuity of high oil production so that Indonesia will become self-sufficient in cajuput oil.