US Kratom Consumers Reach 15 Million
PONTIANAK – The United States (US) has become the largest market share for kratom commodities. There are at least a dozen million consumers in that country who need Kratom-based products. This also becomes a promising economic opportunity.
“The number of Kratom consumers in the United States has reached 15 million. They really hope that there will be an improvement in the quality of Indonesian kratom raw materials,” said the American Kratom Association Representative, Mac Haddow, recently.
The US Kratom Association itself is a non-profit organization in America that plays a role in the protection and advocacy of Kratom consumers in the US. Because of the importance of the quality of the kratom, Haddow hoped that the industrial community or political entrepreneurs in Indonesia, especially West Kalimantan, as one of the biggest suppliers of this commodity, could meet the expectations of US consumers
Considering the large demand from the superpower country, General Chair of the Indonesian Kratom Entrepreneur (Pekrindo), Yosep assessed, there needs to be processing facilities that are in accordance with the standards of the Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) in order to improve the quality of kratom raw material products. However, according to him, this becomes a difficulty, if domestic regulations have not provided certainty.
“This gray regulation will have an impact on the doubts of entrepreneurs to invest in equipment, as well as processing facilities that are in accordance with GMP standards,” he said.
In addition, according to him, Kratom is also one of the most potential non-timber forest products (NTFP) commodities. With the potential of land that is still open in Kalimantan, according to him, this commodity will provide enormous economic and ecological effects for this country. Even now, according to association data, there are at least 300 thousand people whose producers rely on these commodities, be they farmers, grinders, suppliers, and so on.
“Therefore, we hope that there is no regulation for the ban on kratom. Because the economic impact given by Kratom is very large, the market share is also large, especially the United States. Only in Indonesia, the kratom is still potential,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, the size of Kratom’s request from the US because this commodity is used for medicinal raw materials. Related to the pharmacological effects of kratom plants, Robiyanto, Pharmacy expert at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tanjungpura said, there are many results of research on the benefits of kratom. This commodity, according to him, can be developed as a new analgesic drug in the medical world. Therefore, he also encouraged that this country, especially West Kalimantan, could become a standard producer of extracted raw materials from kratom leaves.
“Given that more than 90 percent of medicinal raw materials in Indonesia are imported, I hope that in the future Indonesia, especially West Kalimantan, can become a standardized producer of extract raw materials from kratom leaves, considering the huge potential of kratom content to be developed as a new analgesic medicine , “he explained. (sti)
