Instant 'tiwul' produced in Gunungkidul

YOGYAKARTA: Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamegkubuwono X on Thursday officially opened an instant tiwul factory owned by PT Sinar Sukses Sentosa on Jl. Sudirman, Mungi, Semanu, Gunungkidul.

Tiwul is a traditional staple food made of dried cassava, often used as a substitute for rice in the arid Gunungkidul area.

Director Anton Juwardi said his company had made an initial investment of some Rp 3.57 billion in setting up the factory.

Occupying some 1,000 square meters of land belonging to Semanu village and another 456 square meters of land belonging to the district government of Gunungkidul, the factory can produce some 500 kilograms of instant tiwul a day.

Juwardi said that the company would produce four different types of instant tiwul, including Sari Tiwul (original flavor), and Nutritiwul (with three different flavors: fried chicken, fried potato and salted fish).

The instant tiwul is available in 250 gram and 500 gram packs.

"The price ranges from Rp 3,500 to Rp 5,000 per pack," Juwardi said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sultan said the establishment of the factory in Gunungkidul would help to improve the incomes of local people as well as reduce their dependence on rice -- whose cultivation was relatively unsuited to the area. --JP