Palmyra palm (
Borassusflabellifer
L.), is one of the palm trees highly associated with
farmers in agro-forestry system in Indonesia. About 28,068 farmers cultivated 9,355
hectares of palmyra palm in East Java, Indonesia. Two regions which have highest
palmyra palm in East Java are Sumenep in Madura islands and Tuban in East java
mainland with production areas of about 5,535.70 and 1,832.45 hectares respectively.
Pasuruan has special and well-known fresh palmyra palm sap, but there is scarcity of
data on the number of plants or areas planted. However, development of industries at
the area has displaced a large number of palmyras due to land use change. Field
surveys were carried out at Gunungsari village, Beji district in Pasuruan, a single
village of palmyra in Pasuruan; in the districts of Semanding and Palang in Tuban, and
three districts, Pragaan, Lenteng, and Dungkek in Sumenep. One or two villages in
Tuban and Sumenep were selected based on information from local official
governments. A total of 180 palmyra farmers comprising of 30 farmers from each study
district were interviewed. The interview solicited several information including the use
of palmyra plant parts such as leaves, fruits, sap, trunks and other parts. Results of the
study showed that there were several differences in the uses of palmyra palm plant
parts across three regions in East Java. Uses of leaves, fruits, sap, trunks and other parts
of palmyra palm varied in each region both on the type of use and on the percentage of
each use. The differences may be as a result of different cultural characteristics of
regions and populations studied. For instance, farmers in Pasuruan and Tuban use
almost all plant parts just like those in East java mainland, and both regions have
massive industrial development. Farmers in Sumenep, Madura differed mostly in their
use of almost all parts of palmyra plant, especially leaves and sap. Leaves and sap
appeared as most used parts in the three regions and have more commercial value than
other parts. Uses of plant parts as traditional medicine and processed fruits seemed
comparatively low in all the three regions. Based on the differences in characteristics of
the utilization of plant parts in three regions of East Java, it appears that Pasuruan is
superior in fresh sap; Tuban in fresh fruits and Sumenep Madura with jaggery and
palmyra leaf weaving products and raw leaves.