The President of Indonesia Urged IPB to Organize International FBBN
President of the Republic of Indonesia (RI), Mr. Joko Widodo, requested Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) to organize an international level for Festival Bunga dan Buah Nusantara (FBBN – Festival of Flowers and Fruit of Indonesia) next year. This was stated by the President in his opening remarks of FBBN 2015 in the Baranang Siang Campus, Bogor, on Saturday, 28 November 2015.
"I have instructed the Minister of Agriculture, to assist IPB to organize international level of such kind festival next year. Such festival should be attended by international buyers, to enable us to learn the potentialities our fruit and flowers growers. I'll assign our embassies to promote and invite prospective buyers to visit, "he stated.
Orange Revolution is a good initiative for such program. Indonesia requires a revolutionary movement to increase the production and quality of our flowers and fruits. "If the local fruits are being processed by a good quality packages, and being promoted in an attractive outlet, I am sure they will definitely increase the image and perception of local fruits. Currently more supermarkets offering imported fruits from Thailand, Brazil, Israel and China. These are efforts that we must fight, so we can promote the superiority of our local fruit products in most supermarkets, "he stated further.
The President also encouraged Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BUMN – Stare Owned Enterprises) such as PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) to allocate of 10 thousand hectares of its lands to grow the Indonesian fruits. Millions hectares of land owned by PTPN currently are only planted by a few products such as tea, palm oil, rubber, and coffee. President needs to convert some of those lands to grow the Indonesian local fruits.
"I imagine if PTPN prepare 10 thousand hectares of its lands to grow fruit. Then, both its cultivation as well as its post harvest process will be managed professionally. So far no postharvest process for local fruits have been provided. Postharvest industry should be there to protect the farmers, "he said.
In the near future, imported fruits must be substituted by local fruits. "I believe it will this good ideas will come true, as long as there is strict controlling program. It will be the role of IPB. The synergy between academia, government and the businessmen are required. All should walk hands in hands, so we will be able to make this program in reality. It is a process, but the Orange Revolution should be started, "he continued.
In his remarks Rector of IPB, Prof. Dr. Ir. Herry Suhardiyanto, M.Sc., stated that FBBN aims to encourage, facilitate and to promote the development of the Indonesian fruits and flowers. "the Orange Revolution include the revolution of policy, infrastructure, leadership and human resource development, innovation and technology, as well as the system of the exploitation and market penetration of the Indonesian fruits," he explained.
In the opening of this annual festival Regents of Bogor, Gianyar. Bali, and the Mamuju respectively read their commitments that their regencies are ready to provide lands to produce the Indonesian fruits and agrotourism. (Wied)
