Titiek Soeharto Samples Nusakambangan Inmate-Grown Grapes: 'Delicious, Sweet'

Chair of the House of Representatives’ Commission IV, Siti Hediati Soeharto, known as Titiek Soeharto, expressed amazement during a working visit to Nusakambangan Island, Cilacap, Central Java, at the Horticulture Vocational Training Centre. One highlight that captivated her was the grape cultivation area.

“Oh, these are the small ones? They’re delicious, sweet. What variety is this?” Titiek said upon entering the grape greenhouse on Saturday (20 June 2026).

A staff member explained that the grapes were of the Jupiter variety. Titiek then picked up a pair of scissors provided by the prison for visitors wishing to harvest the grapes.

While snipping a grape cluster still attached to the vine, she asked an inmate about the cultivation process from planting to harvest.

“This was planted by the inmates. How many months did you tend to this? I mean, how many years until it reached this stage?” Titiek asked the inmate at the site.

“One and a half years,” the inmate replied.

Titiek was astonished. “One and a half years and it’s already harvestable?” she asked again.

“It’s been harvested four times,” the inmate answered.

Titiek praised the inmates’ diligence and skill in caring for the grapes. According to her, the grapes cultivated on Nusakambangan have a fragrant aroma. She likened them to sweets because of their sweet taste and fragrant smell.

“Oh, extraordinary. Let me try. This is sweet and fragrant. It’s just like candy. So Nusakambangan is not something scary, but don’t ever end up in Nusakambangan,” she remarked jokingly.

The transformation of Nusakambangan was an idea initiated by Minister Agus after he was appointed by President Prabowo. During the transition of the Directorate General of Corrections from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, Minister Agus received a report from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) regarding many ministry assets that were idle.

Consequently, Minister Agus sought to revitalise the idle land by building vocational training centres, so that inmates could engage in self-development activities. The goal is for the skills acquired at these centres to serve as a foundation for inmates upon their release, preventing them from reoffending.

Training and skill development infrastructure for inmates that has been established on Nusakambangan includes a batako and paving block workshop using fly ash bottom ash (FABA) material, a garment workshop, an organic fertiliser processing centre, eel farming, and waste processing. Also developed are tilapia, catfish, and pomfret farming; Vaname shrimp ponds; cattle, sheep, and poultry farms; a cigarette rolling workshop; a mocaf production centre; and orchid cultivation.