Exploring Traditional Marketing Channels for Coconut Sugar in East Java Province

Analysis of the marketing aspects of coconut sugar products includes agents and distribution channels, transaction systems and calculations of profit margins for intermediary traders. This article aims to reveal how the marketing patterns of coconut sugar in several districts in East Java Province are carried out traditionally and hereditarily. The research results show that geographically or in trading areas there are four levels of intermediary traders, namely at the hamlet, village, sub-district and district levels. Most of the sales transaction processes occur at the producer's premises or production location and around 80 percent of producers sell their coconut sugar products to village level traders. Although most head sugar producers have the option to sell to more than one trader, almost 90 percent of them sell to the same buyer for a certain period of time. There are indications that there is mutual trust and good cooperation between producers and intermediary traders. On the other hand, there is no indication of exploitation or domination by middlemen over coconut sugar producers.