BENGKULU, The Shiro Copr The selling price of agricultural products in Pulau Enggano, Bengkulu Province, has plummeted due to the lack of sea transportation since March 2025.
In the last eight months, dredging at Pelabuhan Pulau Baai, Bengkulu City, has caused disruptions to marine services to Enggano Island.
As a result, since March, the residents of Enggano Island have been practically isolated without adequate sea transportation access.
Hundreds of farmers chose not to harvest their crops due to the lack of distribution channels and falling selling prices.
"For what purpose should we harvest, just imagine the current price of a bunch of bananas is only valued at Rp 20,000. Meanwhile, the transportation costs and cutting costs are already Rp 15,000. So why bother harvesting if it results in a loss as well," said Milson Kaitora, the head of the tribe in Enggano via a release sent by the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (AMAN), Thursday (06/19/2025).
AMAN is the companion of the tribes in Enggano.
Milson said that some large-scale banana merchants use the services of hired fishing boats to collect their harvest.
However, due to the limited capacity of the ship, it cannot accommodate the agricultural produce of all the farmers.
Only a few farmers who already have regular buyers in Bengkulu are willing to consign their bananas.
"So if those without connections to bosses have to let their bananas rot on the tree," Milson said.
In Pulau Enggano, agricultural products have indeed become the main source of income for all residents.
Starting with bananas, cocoa, betel nuts, banana leaves, banana heart, and others. Including certain types of fish that become export commodities.
However, since there are no ships that take these natural resources out of the island, a financial crisis has hit the residents of Enggano.
"At the large shop, usually the revenue reaches up to Rp 10 million, now it's only half. Because there is no one buying. What's accumulating in the shop is debt," said Yudi, a resident of Meok.
Harun Kaarubi, a former Paabuki, admits that since there has been no income due to the lack of natural resources coming out, he and his family have fallen behind on their PDAM payments for four months now.
Therefore, he hopes that as long as maritime transportation conditions are not yet normal, there can be a special policy to help residents of Enggano Island regarding various payments.
"Maybe we should give a discount first or something. This is troubling us, the water bill keeps accumulating," he said.
That's all for now, some housewives are now forced to reduce daily household expenses. One of them is the use of electricity tokens.
Because, the money to buy tokens is running out.
"Tokens can be paid for directly or cannot be put on credit. So we were forced to fill up half of the token first. The main thing is that the lights are on," said Susi, a resident of Malakoni.
Enggano is Not Well Right Now
The Chair of the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of Nusantara Region of Bengkulu, Fahmi Arisandi, regrets the lack of concern from the local government in Bengkulu towards the crisis situation currently affecting Enggano Island.
I emphasize that the habit of the government spreading the narrative that Enggano has been well managed should be stopped.
For, on the field, the facts are very different. Enggano is now overwhelmed by frenzy and despair.
"Enggano is not doing well at all! Where is the government's responsibility regarding their fate? There isn't any at all," he said.
Previously reported, for the past eight months, Pelabuhan Pulau Baai in the city of Bengkulu has been experiencing siltation.
This results in the sea service ship to Pulau Enggano-Bengkulu becoming delayed.
The ship was unable to dock at the pier and was forced to disembark passengers in the middle of the sea.
Passengers are ferried from the middle of the sea using small boats to the dock.
The service can only be maximized for passengers, while transportation of mineral products cannot be served.
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