Nira aren's tapping business at Hasanuddin University education Forest, Maros

Population growth creates competition in meeting the needs of daily life. The forest area is the target for the community to depend on for their life. Palm trees are forest products that have many benefits. This study intends to describe the process of tapping palm sugar, calculate production costs and business income of palm sugar, and describe the marketing flow of palm sugar. This research was conducted for two months, in the Education Forest. Data collection methods include field orientation, observation and interviews. Determination of the sample was carried out by census, namely 14 sugar palm farmers. The analysis was carried out descriptively qualitatively on the process of tapping sap, making palm sugar, and marketing flow. Meanwhile, quantitative descriptive analysis was carried out on the calculation of production costs and income. The results of this study illustrate that the flower bunches tapped are male flowers. The process of tapping includes the following activities: preparation, taking sap, making palm sugar. The results of tapping sap are generally used as raw material for palm sugar. Tapping the sap and making palm sugar is carried out for approximately eight months every year. The process of tapping nira carried out by sugar palm farmers in the location is still based on habits and experiences that have been passed down from generation to generation. The average production cost is IDR 7,026,552.-/year/family and the average income is IDR. 10,705,500.-/year/family, so that the average profit is IDR. 3,675,948.- per year per household. There are three marketing channels for palm sugar in the research location, namely: (1) Producers Directly to consumers (2) Producers to collectors to consumers (3) producers to collectors to the market and to consumers.