Bangli, Peace and Harmony

The Sweet Taste of Kintamani Orange

Bangli is the only regency in Bali that has no coastal areas. In this breezy area there is the largest lake in Bali, Batur Lake. However, Bangli is made up of half most of a high altitude area famed for its fruit produce. Various commodities of Bangli’s fruits are nangka (jackfruit), alpokat (avocado), pisang (banana), durian, manggis (mangosteen), nanas (pineapple), jambu biji (guava), etc, and the well-famed fruit produced by Bangli Regency is the orange. Moreover, this orange commodity is become one mainstay income in several villages in Bangli Regency.

Based on Bangli Agriculture Office report, recently at the end of 2002, the number of orange plants in Bangli regency reached 3.529.809 trees spread out along the sub district of Bangli Regency, however the most orange plant center exist in Kintamani sub district, so, this Bangli’s mainstay commodity known as the orange of Kintamani.
According to Head of Agriculture Sub Office; Agricultural, Plantation and Forestry Office of Bangli I Dewa Gede Raka, Kintamani orange has been wide spread tasted by all people in Bali and also by the Indonesian people as well. It is predominantly sweet tasting; moreover it is sometimes sour but still dominates with a sweet taste. The other characteristic it is peeled easily and is high in water content. It is easy to get Kintamani orange. They can found in the supermarket or traditional market. The price is about Rp.3000,- until Rp.5000,- per kilogram depending on quality.
According to Dewa Gede Raka, most Balinese people use Kintamani oranges for banten (ceremonial offering ingredient), moreover during the middle of crisis situation people were unable to buy any imported oranges that cost more that Rp.10.000 per kg.
I Dewa Gede Raka also explained, the oranges planted in the fertile soil can harvest about 40-45 kg. Kintamani oranges are really susceptible to CVPD pest (Citrus Ploem Vain Degeneration). I Wayan Artawan, a farmer from Sekaan Village, Kintamani, confess that ever experienced of a great financial loss because of CVPD rushing his orange plant in 1998-1999. Now, he has tried to revive business by planting a high quality orange after all of his plants eradicated by CVPD. Bangli Regional Government will develop Kintamani orange as agro-tourism object. (BTN/030)