As a tropical country rich in natural resources, Indonesia is well-known for its wide variety of spices that have been exported across many parts of the world. Among many popular Indonesian spices, konjac or also known as porang remains one of the least cultivated type of spices in the country. However, this ingredient has a lot of unleashed potential in the spices industry. For instance, as Indonesian konjac cultivation and planting have grown in trends, some farmers have claimed that they have successfully earned millions of rupiahs for planting porang.

Konjac or Porang (Amorphophallus oncophyllus) is an herb that grows specifically in Indonesia, a member of the Araceae plant family, that has been known and used by the Indonesian society since the ancient times. Although this herb has been known for a long period of time, the cultivation aspect of konjac barely grows. Most Indonesians only pick the plant that grows wildly out of anywhere and sell them as a type of root.

According to history, Indonesians started cultivating konjac since the Japanese colonialization in 1942. During that time, the Japanese had started cultivating another type of konjac, namely A. Konjac in Japan which they usually use as a medicinal food. Then, at the time of colonialization, the Japanese discovered the Indonesian type of konjac, scientifically known as A. mulleri or commonly known as porang. Due to its similarities, the Japanese utilized the Indonesian konjac as a food logistic during war time.

The Indonesian konjac grows among shrubs, on disturbed areas, forest fringes, and residential areas, at an altitude of about 0-900 meters above sea level. The plant can grow up to 180 cm in height and unique flower sized 30-60 cm.

In terms of its benefits, the Indonesian konjac can be processed into a variety of food, such as noodles (mie) and konjac rice (beras porang). The plant contains some important substances that bring health benefits to consumers, including carbohydrates and calcium that are beneficial for baby’s food. Many also believe that the Indonesian konjac can be used as an alternative to breastmilk. Moreover, as it’s rich in calcium, the Indonesian konjac may play an important role in teeth growth, smoothen the skin, and also hair growth which a lot of people look for.

Nowadays, there is a significant increase in Indonesian konjac cultivation. Many people have realized its many benefits and business potential, thus have started growing and cultivating the plant at home, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic where there is a growing culture of at-home planting. Now, it may be your turn to explore the benefits of cultivating and consuming the Indonesian konjac or porang and unleash its hidden potential in the spices industry.

References:

1. https://www.goodnewsfromindonesia.id/2021/08/03/kisah-tanaman-porang-makanan-orang-jepang-saat-jajah-indonesia

2. https://www.goodnewsfromindonesia.id/2021/08/03/kisah-tanaman-porang-makanan-orang-jepang-saat-jajah-indonesia