Nutmeg is a mainstay spice product besides cloves and pepper, which has been an important commodity for hundreds of years. Nutmeg produces seeds and mace that are sought after by European traders. They are willing to sail the oceans for months to reach the archipelago for nutmeg. The traders of the blue continent are looking for nutmeg to be used as raw materials for perfumes, cosmetics, medicines, and cooking flavorings. Nutmeg does contain oil with the compound myristicin , which gives it a distinctive aroma.
The presence of Mount Karangetang with its various volcanic materials is believed to have helped improve the quality and natural quality of nutmeg on Siau Island. Nutmeg trees in Siau can survive for hundreds of years. In several regions, nutmeg is called differently. The people in Halmahera and Ternate know it as gosora . On Buru Island it is called kuhipun and the Sangir and Siau regions are known as palang . For the people of Siau Island, nutmeg is a valuable treasure. Siau Island, which is located in North Sulawesi, has long been known as the best nutmeg producer in Indonesia, even the world. The oil content of Siau Nutmeg reaches 80-100 percent and this is what differentiates it from similar products from other regions whose oil content is no more than 50-70 percent.
In addition to the geographical advantages accompanied by plant management that is full of local wisdom values, the quality of Siau Nutmeg cannot be separated from the ability of the Siau community which has been honed from generation to generation in the accuracy of selecting nutmeg that is ready to be picked. This ability is called Mangoepuru or Mangopur. Even children on Siau Island are experts in measuring precisely which nutmeg is ready to be picked. When the harvest comes, the children of Siau Island join the adults in harvesting. They are taught to identify the quality of nutmeg.
Thanks to this specialty, Siau Nutmeg is the only nutmeg commodity in Indonesia that has been certified as a geographical indication in November 2015. Based on statistical data in 2020, the total area of nutmeg plantations reached 4,619.13 hectares with the amount of productive land reaching 3,207.85 hectares. The production of Siau Nutmeg and its derivative products is not only for the domestic market. But the commodity which is later known as Siau Nutmeg is also to meet the demand of the European, United States, Middle East and Asian markets. Until 2021, Siau Nutmeg in the European market is still relatively high, with an average demand reaching 13 to 20 tons for each country. With Geographical Indication, the Siau Nutmeg Geographical Protection Society and related parties together with farmers continue to strive to maintain and protect the quality of their valuable assets.
source: https://igis.id/mpig-pala-siau-sulawesi-utara/