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Although the number of farmers in Indonesia untold number, business opportunities in this field are not inexhaustible. If the local vegetable business competition is already too tight, do not worry, you can try out new opportunities for business Japanese vegetables.
Just look at the growth of the number of Japanese restaurants and supermarkets very rapidly in recent years. First outlets that presents the product's country of origin of the Rising Sun is still very limited. But now, you can easily find such outlets.
Surging demand for Japanese vegetable that makes Agus Ali Nurdin, owner Okiagaru Farm and Kostaman, owner of Yan's Fruit, vegetable suppliers plunge as Japan. Both of these entrepreneurs set the rising demand compact vegetable Japan reached 20 percent every year. Not only Japanese citizens living in Indonesia that they were after, because the indigenous people like the typical cuisine of Japan.
Agus was once a rice farmer in Cianjur. In 2008, he followed the young farmers exchange program to Japan from the Ministry of Agriculture. During the year of living in the State Sakura, Agus learn how cultivating rice and oranges.
When returning to the country, Agus immediately establish relations with Japanese culinary entrepreneurs. He then decided to set up Okiagaru Farm, which then supply the Japanese vegetables to various typical Japanese restaurant. "I chose the vegetable crops due to exceptional demand a lot, given the proliferation of Japanese restaurants in the country," he said.
Agus explained, the first Japanese culinary entrepreneurs often importing agricultural products from China. However, the products from China are no longer favored because of the high use of chemicals in the land of the Great Wall. Thus, the demand for Japanese vegetables in the country is increasingly uphill.
He then hired a land area of 1.8 hectares (ha) in Cianjur and 4 ha in Cipanas, West Java. In that land, Agus planted about 100 kinds of vegetables. As many as 50 percent of an original Japanese vegetables, such as kyuri (Japanese cucumber), horenzo (Japanese spinach), kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), satsumaimo (Japanese yam), zucchini, negi. While the rest are local vegetables but consumed in Japanese restaurants. So the whole product Okiagaru supplied to Japanese restaurants and supermarkets.
Agus said, great restaurants like Yoshinoya and Sushi Tei has become its customers. In addition, he also supplies vegetables to supermarkets Cosmo in Jakarta and Bandung. "Actually requests outside the city very much, but we have not been able to produce on demand," said Agus.
The Kostaman inadvertently supplying Japanese vegetables. Kostaman been a variety of fresh vegetable transport drivers for the Japanese company in Bandung. Experience so the driver made him familiar with the supermarket owner.
Then, when the supply crunch strawberry, strawberry supply Kostaman dared plunge into some supermarkets. "From that moment I was over the profession so supplier of strawberries and Japanese vegetables to the supermarket," he said.
He also founded the company Yan's Fruit and Vegetables in Lembang, West Java, in 2000. Because not have sufficient capital to grow crops, Kostaman partnership with vegetable farmers in Lembang.
Kostaman sorting vegetables produced its partners, to be packaged according to client requests. "So, vegetable products can be directly displayed for sale in supermarkets or self-service," he said. Now, Kostaman supply more than 100 kinds of vegetables to the supermarket in Jakarta.
Within a month, Kostaman supplying 65 tons of vegetables to various supermarkets Japanese. He admitted that he could reap a turnover of Rp 600 million per month from this business. The net profit of about 50 percent.
On the other hand, Agus split between production with sales turnover of Japanese vegetables. According to Agus, the turnover is calculated for each commodity production per harvest. For example there kyuri 20,000 trees on their land. If each tree produces 8 kilograms (kg) kyuri sold Rp 10,000 per kg, he got a turnover of USD 160 million. The net profit of more than 50 percent.
Meanwhile, a vegetable product that he sold not only from land. He also supplies vegetables to cooperating with several partners in West Java. For sales, Okiagaru can be pocketed turnover of about USD 70 million per month with a net profit of about 20 percent.
Two options
Are you interested in this business? You can choose to cultivate himself as Agus in Okiagaru Farm or so suppliers just as is done Kostaman. Whatever your choice, the key to success of this effort is to get the right market.
Agus asserted that market access is a major factor to go into business, Japanese vegetables. Because the costs for producing Japanese vegetables are not cheap. Merunut first experience, he first obtain the market, the new starting production, the amount adjusted to demand.
To gain access to the Japanese market vegetables, of course you have to know the network or self-service Japanese culinary entrepreneurs. Because once an exchange program to Japan's farmers, Agus already had relationships with several players in the culinary or retail business that requires Japanese vegetable supply. With the demand of the market, Agus also be planting pattern. Because the vegetables japan took one month to three months to harvest.
However, you do not have to go far away to Japan to be a relationship in this business. Agus suggested for beginners who wrestle this business in order to mingle with the Japanese community. This strategy aims to open a gap to penetrate the market. "Building relationships can be started from there, search for access that enables us to get to know the entrepreneurs who in turn could be our clients," he said.
Should not be forgotten is the Japanese language skills. Although trivial, it is important to be able to communicate with a client who is a citizen of Japan. "The ability to speak a surplus to negotiate with clients," he said.
Agus also stressed the importance of having an experienced human resources in agriculture. For, if only theoretically studied agriculture is not necessarily controlled field conditions. "Even if you have the capital and the existing market, but if there are no experts in the field of agriculture, the result will not be maximized," he said. At a minimum, when the pioneering efforts of the Japanese vegetable production, there should be a companion experts in agriculture vegetables.
When opening the land, Agus require many employees, even up to 40 people. However, for the treatment of ta-naman vegetables, employees required is not too much. Each hectare supervised three employees.
Further, Agus said, the capital's pioneering Japanese vegetable production area is quite expensive. Thus, the readiness of the funds must be considered. According to Agus, leasing land, at least, lasted for three years with a minimum of three hectares of land. Count simple, issued investment of around Rp 80 million per hectare. As many as 80 percent of the funds are used to finance the operations of land. The remaining reserve funds.
Expenditure is also calculated per harvest. The expenditure for the purchase of seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. Seeds can be purchased at the distributor of seeds are easy to find. The cost of employee salaries also includes a large expenditure that must be observed. With these calculations, Agus said, farmers can reach the breakeven point of business within two years.
If you do not want to grow their own, you could be the only supplier. Due to the limited availability of land, Kostaman chose this way. With an initial capital of Rp 15 million, he started the business of supplying Japanese vegetables to various supermarkets.
Kostaman partnered with more than 60 farmers in West Java. The farmers have agreed to deliver a Japanese vegetable crops to Kostaman. Furthermore, Kostaman sort these vegetables before packing. The sorting process is done manually. Meanwhile, aided by packaging plastic wrapping machine.
In addition to the two processes, employees are also required for the distribution process. For this activity, Kostaman employs 21 people. Kostaman deliver vegetables that have been packaged into supermarket outlets are so subscriptions. Deliveries are made three times a week, namely Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. So the packaging process is done a day before delivery.
Vegetables Japan sent four fleets using his box car. Each car can carry up to 1.5 tons of vegetables Japanese. Up to now there are about 40 outlets supermarkets obtain supplies from Kostaman Japanese vegetables.
Kostaman claimed never promoted for so Japanese vegetable supplier. He said, through the products he was selling, the clients know the quality. "If you already know the quality, they must be a message to me," he said.
Sort quality
In supplying vegetables Japan, known for the quality classification (grading). Grading is determined by the client's request. Understandably, Japanese demand for processed vegetables in a restaurant with a different sold in supermarkets.
Agus said, employers usually ask for veggie restaurant with great size. For example, for commodities daikong or Japanese horseradish, radishes need restaurants weighing 1.5 kg. Meanwhile, to be sold in supermarkets, large-sized radishes will not be sold. Radishes are sold in supermarkets is small so in 1 kg there are three to four pieces of radish.
The Japanese vegetables Kostaman split based on quality. Good quality vegetables will he supply to the supermarket. Meanwhile, the rest will be returned to the farmers. Typically, farmers will sell vegetable product assortment of the traditional markets.
Has the potential to penetrate the export market
Opportunities open in Japanese vegetable business is already no doubt. In fact, the Japanese vegetable businesses admitted to being overwhelmed meet existing demand in the market. Therefore, farmers have not kept pace with market demand crops.
In other words, they have to face obstacles vegetable production continuity. One of the risks involved in agribusiness are harvesting less than the maximum. The cause of the harvest is not as expected, usually the weather is less friendly. However, according to Agus Ali Nurdin, owner Okiagaru Farm, Japanese vegetable farming risk is comparable to the risk of planting other vegetables.
In fact, both Agus and Kostaman, owner of Yan's Fruit, said the market for vegetable japan wide open. Demand was not only in the country but also exported to many countries, especially Asian countries.
Agus said, he had received an offer of cooperation with the Japanese company. His request was not kidding. Within a day, Agus asked to supply 15 tons of broccoli. "We still need investors to participate in the venture capital bury this," he said.
Kostaman also had a similar experience. But he did not dare undertakes for its Japanese vegetable production has not been consistent. Sometimes the crops of farmers are not in accordance with market demand. "The potential for export actually there, because my colleagues are already exporting zucchini, beans, and other vegetables to Singapore," he said.