FLORICULTURE FESTIVAL MARKS REVIVAL OF INDONESIAN FLORICULTURE by Fardah

Jakarta, Aug 1, 2017 (Antara) - A series of activities highlighting the Indonesian Floriculture Festival 2017, organized in Jakarta on July 24-29, marked the revival of floriculture as one of the country's economic assets.

           Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution officially designated July 24, as Indonesian Floriculture Day at his office on that day.

           On July 28, a seminar on national floriculture was organized at the Bogor University of Agriculture (IPB) Convention Center. On July 29, the Indonesian Floriculture Expo was held at the Baranangsiang Campus of IPB and was officiated by Mufidah, the spouse of Vice President Jusuf M. Kalla.

           On July 30, Bogor hosted the Floriculture Carnival, and IPB Rector Herry Suhardiyanto declared the "Love Indonesian Floriculture" Movement to encourage sustainability and promotion of the floriculture sector.

            The events were organized by the office of Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs in cooperation with the agriculture ministry, the IPB, and the Bogor municipality, Dr Syarifah IIs Aisyah, chairperson of the organizing committee, stated.

        Tens of flower-decorated vehicles went around the city, including to the Bogor Botanical Garden, during the carnival, which was officially kicked off by Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto and his deputy, Usmar Hariman.

        Other activities highlighting the carnival were an agricultural and culinary bourse, flower arrangement contest, fashion show, talk show, marching band competition, and flower-decorated vehicle contest. Indonesian flowers were used in all the activities.

PROMOTING FLORICULTURE TO BOOST INDONESIA'S ECONOMY by Fardah

Jakarta, July 25, 2017 (Antara) - Various varieties of flowers and fruits are found in Indonesia, though most of them are seasonal, while others are available all year round.

          Indonesia is believed to have a huge potential to become one of the world's largest exporters of flowers and fruits, as the country is blessed with fertile land and fruits as well as flowers that are abundant both qualitatively and quantitatively.    
     Owing to the high fruit production in Indonesia, the country can export them, thereby reducing their imports. According to data of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2014, Indonesia had ranked 20th on the world fruit exporter list.

          President Joko Widodo, in his opening remarks at the Fourth Fruit Indonesia 2016 festival held at the Senayan eastern park area, Jakarta, on Nov 17, expressed optimism about the country's potential in floriculture and horticulture commodity exports.

          This year, a similar optimism was also voiced by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution while opening the Indonesian Floriculture Expo in Jakarta on July 24, which is also designated as Indonesian Floriculture Day.

          The role of floriculture and horticulture commodities in the national economy is growing, according to Nasution.

                "We should invite small- and medium-scale businesses to promote floriculture commercially. Only by doing this can we develop it better," he noted.