Kratom Origins | Indonesia

Kratom from Indonesia

Indonesia consists of more than 17,000 islands. Its shores dominate the landmass separating Australia and the Asian mainland. With fertile soils, abundant sun, and a climate kratom trees prefer, Indonesia has long produced much of the world’s finest kratom. 

When you buy kratom from Indonesia, you’re most likely getting products from the province of West Kalimantan — the metaphorical heartland of the kratom industry. But is kratom production in Indonesia compromised? Find out when you learn more about the newest health and safety regulations regarding kratom in this country.

New Regulations in Indonesia

In 2019, the Indonesian Minister of Health set forth a new regulation that allowed kratom farmers five years to transition into other crops before banning the plant outright. The announcement caught much of the Indonesian government by surprise and suggests a devastating financial hit for a significant population of Indonesian farmers. The booming demand for kratom from Indonesia worldwide has created immense wealth for a country not known for its financial development. 

The American Kratom Association, which regularly performs amazing feats on American shores, has gamely set forth a battle plan to engage with the Indonesian government and secure a line of export for kratom from Indonesia to America. The initiative includes renowned doctors and Federal congressional veterans, like Utah’s former senator Matt Salmons. 

Why the Ban?

It’s surprising to everyone that a country with so many other concerns turns its eyes to kratom. Yet, Indonesian politics are deeply complex. Thousands of disparate islands have given rise to hundreds of linguistic dialects, distinct cultural phenomena, and politicians with democratic ideals that struggle with exploitative government operators who lack strong central federalism. 

Corruption & Kratom

The Indonesian Ministry of Health is less worried about securing potable water for the world’s fourth most populous nation than attacking kratom. The Indonesian government is well aware of their dominion over kratom exports, and even more so, of the growing popularity of kratom in the Western world. They also know about its emergence as a necessity for Americans in the face of a crippling opiate epidemic. By providing a generous transition window of five years, it seems that they hope to signal their power to the motivated wealth of the West.

This may be a cynical viewpoint, but it looks like the Indonesian government is hoping to profit off two prolific factions — Indonesian kratom farmers and Western consumers. We believe that once the backroom manilla envelopes begin to thicken, the Indonesian officials in charge of this ideological toll booth will suddenly be very keen to acknowledge kratom’s significant medicinal potential. 

Kratom from Indonesia | The Only Choice?

Many other countries also produce kratom, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Several other tropical regions are also hospitable to kratom, so you do have other options beyond kratom from Indonesia. If there ever is a shortage from this South Asian country, you can rely on The Kratom Company to find other high-quality sources for kratom powder, capsules, and extracts.

Looking for more news about kratom? Browse our news blog for kratom legality in each state!