Pepper Cultivation in Atjeh was the dominant export agriculture on east and west coast of Atjeh, with large vicissitudes due to war, market price, rice scarcity and disease, forming lifeline of oeléëbalang economies.
Narrative
Fifty years before 1923, coast had abundant pepper. J. A. Kruyt in 1877 described garden 5,000 trees yielding 5 kojang = 1,100 picol, maintained by 3-4 men receiving half produce at local price. Collection of pepper gardens together called seuneubò (Kruyt wrote “seleboe”).
Export east coast annually 5,000-6,000 kojang at Penang 200-250 pilaardollars per kojang in August 1873, earlier 90.
In De buitenbezitingen 1904-‘14 export from Atjeh 1913 just over 3 million kg, less than tenth 1873. Compare Lampoeng 1913 12.5 million kg (200,000 picol). In 1893 no pepper significant per Julius Jacobs.
Administration figures: 1900 export 5,365,091 kg, 1899 Pidie and Edi nearly half more; 1911 still 4,514,461 kg then big collapse. In west coast not detailed but same origin migrants from Pidie, Samalangan, Peusangan, Pasei temporarily settling e.g., Peureula.
System: group 4-6 men under leader requested ground from oeléëbalang, who had oelèëbalangs tjoet. Needed little capital pangkai from oeléëbalang to live 2-3 years until garden yielded. Debt earlier ~25 gulden per planter, now 100 gulden. For use ground paid hacil radja lordly right to oeléëbalang. Adat brought payments wasé pangkai, wasé oeléëbalang, wasé peutoeha and more.
Oeléëbalang privileged buyer. Manipulation possible: planter let capitalist fall into trap when market prices fell sharply and provider little desire as privileged buyer act. Then sold himself kept money or disappeared to home region leaving garden.
Netherlands bestuur after pacification regulated rights could be determined and at export via customs collected, while “landscape” established as self-government area wasé oelèëbalang ground right belonged landscape treasury. Broersma criticized healer weakened patient attacking life source oelèëbalang. Had no pleasure more, then no pepper.
1915 new regulation customs no more interference. Hacil tanah divided 50% landscape 50% pangkaigiver and peutoeha who from leader pepper planters became head municipality kepala kampong. Also not encouraging capital.
Government came with credit institution afdeelingsbank Langsa, Lho Seumawe, Koeta Radja to help pepper become free volksculture. They tested credit applications to controller and to landscape head oeléëbalang. Head found spacious credit good. But banks had no collateral and suffered loss, forced stay away pepper.
Practical burdens now: hacil 1 gulden per picol; capital provider mostly oeléëbalang or oelèëbalang-tjoet f 2.50 per picol of which f 0.50 to peutoeha; freight. Risk third year first repayment.
In 1918 disease appeared. Fairly fleeting investigation Department Landbouw and landbouwleeraar led not discovery; landscape head held disease djamoer oepas. Poor maintenance in gardens probably influenced.
In 1919 rice scarcity each daily only one batok (=3/4 katti) rice insufficient for Atjeher eating twice rice with salt, lombok vegetable, no meat fish daily, accustomed consuming huge quantities. Pepper planters departed to Pidie, Pasei, Peusangan abundant padi.
Third cause market listlessness 1920 prices fell to 3-4 gulden picol max 7. Before war Europe 10 gulden just enough per head assurance, now 13-14 needed. In 1923 price reached market, here there pepper planter returns. With stable market undoubtedly pepper cultivation Atjeh revives and not much effort long duration to give withering gardens fresh look unless disease very malignant.
Broersma noted Langsa north many pepper gardens established by Atjehers from Pidie, Samalanga, Pasei returned when failed due disease partly maybe receding, and market drop. Heads provided principal capital pangkai with interest and landscape treasury income. After failure tax collection decreased even backlog irrecoverable.
In Peureula, oeléëbalang encourages sawah ordering, demands ground processing for old pepper reuse, motor plows landscape 5 gulden half baoe, 1924 f 7.50 half baoe, some loss but indirect benefit.
See Also
Source
Atjeh als land voor handel en bedrijf, by Dr. R. Broersma, Gebrs. Cohen, Utrecht, 1925, pp. 26-34.