Andaliman is set to become one of the leading export commodities from PT Astra International, Tbk., due to its extraordinary and unique flavor. Bondan stated that since 2018, the Astra Prosperous Village program has been committed to enhancing the economic potential of local communities through various commodity clusters, with andaliman being one of the key exports. He also mentioned that PT Astra would support other commodities such as pineapples and candlenuts. The endemic plant of Lake Toba in North Sumatra has been designated by the government as a super-priority destination. The region around the world's largest caldera lake is not only known for its culture, cuisine, and nature but also for its endemic plant, andaliman, which is a significant global spice. It is found in dishes like arsik ikan mas, ikan mas naniura, and sangsang. Andaliman is also popular in East and South Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and India. This spice is also known as Sichuan pepper. The plant grows wild at altitudes of 1,200 to 1,500 meters above sea level in Toba Samosir and North Tapanuli.
In North Sumatra, andaliman is often called 'Batak pepper' due to its resemblance to pepper, although it belongs to the Rutaceae (citrus) family. The green fruits turn red when ripe, and when bitten, they have a bitter taste and release an essential oil aroma that stimulates saliva production. The spice contains hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, which causes a tingling, numbing sensation on the tongue. Andaliman can also be processed into essential oil, containing antioxidant compounds like geraniol, linalool, and limonene. Despite its significance in Batak Toba culinary traditions, andaliman is still challenging to cultivate due to its seeds' low germination rate. Lake Toba residents typically propagate andaliman using two methods: mature seeds and stem cuttings. Seed planting takes a long time and has a lower growth success rate compared to stem cuttings. Some also use grafting methods to develop andaliman seedlings. In the first half of 2021, andaliman and coffee husks emerged as new export commodities. As of June 2021, the export volume of andaliman to Germany reached a total of 574 kilograms.
