South Karangasem Poised to Become a Hub for Homemade Crackers
- 03 Jul 2026 12:57 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- South Karangasem Subdistrict in Batang Regency has strong potential to become a center for homemade cracker production.
- Local authorities aim to develop the cracker industry into a regional economic icon while strengthening the competitiveness of MSME products.
RRI.CO.ID, Batang - South Karangasem Subdistrict in Batang Regency, Central Java has strong potential to become a center for homemade cracker (kerupuk) production. The many small producers clustered in Kebundelan Village are seen as a solid asset for developing the area into both a production center and a local economic icon.
Head of South Karangasem, Mutrofin, said that almost along the entire access road into Kebundelan Village there are home industries producing various types of kerupuk.
“The kerupuk potential in Kebundelan Village is very large. Almost the whole length of the access lanes has home industries making kerupuk,” he said when met at the South Karangasem office in Batang Regency on Thursday, 2 July 2026.
He identified kerupuk usek as one of the flagship products characteristics of the area. Unlike typical crackers, the frying process for kerupuk usek still uses sand as the medium, producing a distinctive, more natural flavor.
“That potential needs to be continuously developed so it can raise the competitiveness of MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprise) products amid tightening market competition,” he explained, as quoted by infopublik.id.
Mutrofin acknowledged that local cracker makers are beginning to face competition from similar products originating in other regions. Therefore, quality improvement and innovation are important steps to keep local products in demand.
“MSME actors must keep improving quality, so they are not outcompeted by products from outside the area. Given the large number of craftsmen operating in Kebundelan, the Karangasem Selatan administration also plans to promote the area as a recognized kerupuk center and one of the region’s signature economic icons,” he said.
Beyond strengthening the area’s identity, establishing a cracker hub is expected to raise household incomes and open wider marketing opportunities. According to Mutrofin, business development should not stop at increasing production capacity, it must be accompanied by product innovation to meet market needs.
He also urged MSME actors to pay more attention to packaging to present a more modern and attractive product. Additionally, developing variations in flavor, shape, and patterns of crackers is seen as necessary to enhance competitiveness.
“So far, products on the market are still dominated by raw crackers with relatively similar shapes. Going forward, there needs to be innovation in packaging and product variety to better attract consumers,” he concluded.
With support for innovation and a stronger regional identity, the South Karangasem Administration hopes the homemade cracker industry will continue to grow. This development is expected to become a driver of the local economy while reinforcing Batang Regency’s position as an area with diverse MSME flagship products. ***
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