246 Patriot Expedition teams boost transmigrant income 4-fold

The Ministry of Transmigration reported that support from 246 Patriot Expedition Teams (TEP) has lifted incomes for residents in transmigration areas by three to four times. Transmigration Minister M. Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara said the gains were driven by appropriate technology, crop processing and broader market access. One example was broken rice, which had sold for about Rp9.000 per kilogram and was processed into flour with a selling price of up to Rp18.000 per kilogram. TEP also introduced a paddy dryer with a two-ton capacity that can dry unmilled rice in about 18 hours. In Manokwari, Papua Barat, chili peppers and tomatoes were turned into fruit leather that can last up to a year. In Parigi Moutong, Sulawesi Tengah, durian was directed to the China export market through links with an offtaker.