The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on people’s behavior and herbal drink (jamu) processing businesses in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan

South Kalimantan Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology, Banjabaru, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: susilesmayati@yahoo.com

Abstract

This study aimed to determine and analyze the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on (1) people's behavior to avoid exposure to the virus with consumed traditional herbal drink (jamu), and (2) jamu processing businesses in Banjarbaru City, South Kalimantan. The research location was determined purposively in the centre of traditional herbal drink processing known as Kampung Pejabat, Loktabat Selatan Village, South Banjarbaru District Banjarbaru City. The research was carried out from February to March 2021 and was conducted using a survey method to obtain primary data and supported by secondary data from reports and other sources. The data were analyzed descriptively. The studies showed that (1) Preventive efforts avoid the virus done by the peoples at the beginning of the pandemic until now by consuming jamu. Around 82 – 88% of people consuming jamu that they bought or made themselves, and they also consuming others in smaller amounts. The peoples already know the benefits of jamu as herbal medicine because it is a hereditary knowledge. Besides, consuming jamu gendong does not require a high cost. (2) there was an increase in volume production of jamu gendong around 100% at the beginning of the pandemic compared with production before the pandemic. The R/C ratio of jamu processing is increased from 1,3 to 1,54 it means the pandemic had a positive impact on the jamu processing business.