TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Agriculture Ministry and Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) plans to hold the 2016 International Festival of Indonesian Fruits and Flowers (IFBBN). The festival will be held in Bogor, West Java, from November 17 to 20.
This is the first time that the festival is being held on an international scale, in previous years, the festival has only been held domestically. The IFBBN is held as part of the government's efforts to boost the production of local fruits and flowers.
Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said the purpose of this festival is to increase the passion of farmers and entrepreneurs to boost the production of Indonesia's fruits and flowers.
"We will develop local fruits and flowers," he said in Jakarta, Monday, May 9.
According to Amran, the current level of productivity of local fruits and flowers is at a 34-percent surplus compared to the previous year.
IPB Rector Herrry Suhariyanto, who is the secretary of the festival's organizing committee, said that the event is aimed at increasing the production and export capacity of local fruits and flowers. He is hoping that the number of fruit and flower exporters will increase as well.
The first step to boost exports, he said, is by improving the quality of local fruits and flowers to meet international standards. "[Farmers'] awareness of international standards must be improved," he said.
Through this festival, the government and employers will be able to introduce the potential of local fruits and flowers at a global scale. Herry said that 150 groups of producers and exporters will participate in this festival.
The committee is aiming to bring in 10,000 domestic visitors and 500 from overseas to this festival.
AVIT HIDAYAT
