REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MANADO - North Sulawesi Province supplied about 70 percent of the world demand for nutmeg, a local plantation official stated.

"North Sulawesi should maintain its position as the worlds largest nutmeg supplier," Refly Ngantung, secretary of North Sulawesi's Plantation Services, stated on Monday.

He elaborated that the Worlds annual need for nutmeg accounted for about 20 thousand tons. The major nutmeg producer districts in North Sulawesi are Sitaro Islands, Sngihe and Talaud. Their production, among others, is exported to countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

"Nutmeg export is the most stable among those of other North Sulawesis commodities. The province routinely realizes the exportation of this commodity with a relatively stable volume," he observed.

In the meantime, North Sulawesi Province exported seven commodities to the United States in 2013, Head of local Trade and Industry Affairs Office, Olvie Atteng, said.

"The seven commodities are palm cooking oil, coconut cooking oil, canned fish, copra, coconut powder, fresh fish and palm fat acid," Atteng explained.

Atteng added that 54,228 tons or 44,882 million USD worth palm-cooking oil were exported to the US  Meanwhile, coconut cooking oil exports reached 51,369 tons worth 77,723 million USD. Copra exported in 2013 reached 222 tons or 2,395 million USD and the coconut powder exports reached 20.6 tons worth 23,373 USD.

"In addition to the plantation products, other commodities that have high demand in the US are fisheries products such as canned fish and fresh fish," Atteng pointed out.

Canned fish exports to US were 1,052 tons or 11,231 million USD, while fresh fish exports reached 59.1 tons worth 629,209 USD. Atteng hopes that the commodities from North Sulawesi will find new markets to earn as much foreign exchange as possible. The Trade and Industry Affairs Office will facilitate the exporter to realize that hope.

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