A worker sorts nutmeg according to quality at a nutmeg collection center belonging to Kiong in Banda Neira, Banda Islands, Maluku, Tuesday (25/4). After being sorted, the nutmeg is sent to Surabaya for processing.
Long before the arrival of the Europeans, the Banda Islands in Maluku was a magnetthat prompted the arrival of many nations from China in the north to the Arabia Peninsula in the west. As though they were enchanted by the smell of nutmeg, the foreign traders were willing to travel thousands of kilometers and take on the dangerous seas that surround the islands.
As of the 18th century, the volcanic islands of Banda was the only nutmeg producer on the face of the earth. Nutmeg and mace were sought after because they were excellent for medicine, seasonings and perfumes. Because of its benefits and rarity, nutmeg was one of the most expensive spices in the world.
Banda’s fate
Through nutmeg, Banda made the archipelago well known all over the world and helped develop a number of cities in Europe and Asia. However, after centuries of supporting the world through its nutmeg, Banda is now grappling with the problem of basic necessities.
Banda district head Kadir Sarilan said that he still takes ill people and pregnant women needing a Cesarean section by speedboat from Naira to hospitals on Ambon Island or Seram Island.
The district’s speedboat is heavily relied upon because regular ships do not operate every day. Two Pelni ships cover the Naira-Ambon route, but they are only scheduled to travel twice a month. Their travel time also takes from 8-9 hours.
The Naira-Ambon speedboat operates twice a week with a travel time of around 6 hours. However, the boat operates only if it has at least 30 passengers and the weather is good.
Controlled by middlemen
Another of Banda’s irony is that nutmeg, which was once as valuable as gold, is now under the control of local middlemen. Nutmeg farmers abide by the rules of the middlemen’s game.
The price of nutmeg in April was Rp 75,000 per kilogram for the “super quality” grade and Rp 35,000 per kilogram for lower quality nutmegs. The price is usually low if the country’s political and legal conditions have had a negative impact on the business world.
Local officials have repeatedly expressed their concern over the condition of Banda, which is the jewel of the Maluku Islands. However, this has not been consistent with their actions.
The idea of reviving Banda was yet again brought up by the Maluku provincial administration. The administration said that Banda would become one of the country’s special economic zones (SEZ), and was currently undergoing the stage of environmental impact analysis.
Maluku administration spokesperson Bobby Palpia said that the main focus of the Banda SEZ would be tourism. “Why tourism? Because Banda’s tourism is different from other areas of Indonesia. Banda offers natural beauty and also history,” he said.
The Banda SEZ idea had actually been raised before in 2013, but for some reason, the idea had disappeared.
