KAPOTAR ISLAND PRODUCES THE MOST DELECTABLE COCONUTS IN PAPUA

KAPOTAR ISLAND PRODUCES THE MOST DELECTABLE COCONUTS IN PAPUA

Coconuts are generally always fresh and are thirst quenchers. However, this coconut from Kapotar Island in Papua is unique. Quoting travel.detik.com, Kapotar Island is also known as Panjang Island and is located in the Moora Islands, southern Cenderawasih Bay area or off the coast of Nabire, Papua.

However, tourists prefer to call it Mowirin Island. In fact, Mowirin is the name of one of the beaches on this island. Almost the entire island of Kapotar is abundant with coconut trees. This coconut tree grows naturally on the beach and some have been cultivated intensively by residents.

Kapotar Island itself is an uninhabited island. The resident’s village is on Mambor Island, which is located south of Kapotar Island. The people of Mambor only occasionally go to Kapotar Island to look for sea cucumbers at low tide, clean their gardens or harvest coconuts.

Coconut trees on Kapotar Island are generally high. Uniquely, footrests for climbing are not made on the tree trunk. Only ripe coconuts are taken from Kapotar Island. The way it is taken is very unique, no need to climb on it. The owner of the coconut garden only collects ripe fallen coconuts.

After peeling the skin of this coconut, it is then sold to Nabire City or by collectors to Moanemani which is located in the mountains of Papua.

Usually, one coconut is priced at 3 thousand rupiah. Only when it reaches the mountains of Papua that the price can reach 10 thousand rupiah per piece because coconut trees cannot grow there.

Kapotar Island coconuts are known to have thick flesh, are harder and have less water content. The young coconut fruit also has a unique taste, perhaps because it grows on a small island in the middle of the sea and is supported by fertile soil so the taste is different.

Kapotar Island’s young coconut tastes fresh, sweet and sour. It tastes fizzy on the tongue. The flesh of young coconuts is clear white and has a soft texture. This young coconut is the most sought after by tourists visiting this island. Coconut trees on Kapotar Island can bear fruit for up to 25 years.

Besides being sold in the form of a fruit, the people of Mambor also process the fruit into coconut oil. They are not affected by the issue of cooking oil which is rare in the market these days.

They use this coconut oil to fry fish or sauté vegetables. Fish or vegetables are cooked without seasoning, only with homemade coconut oil. The process of cooking is by using firewood and this combination produces delicious dishes.

In order to preserve coconut plants on Kapotar Island, it is necessary to increase seedlings from selected parent trees to be distributed and planted in other areas in Papua.