Flora expo offers more than flowers

JAKARTA (JP): Everyone knows about the expression "small is beautiful", but how about "small is beautiful and expensive?"

Small, beautiful and expensive potted bonsai plants are among those on display at the International Flora Show, at the Jakarta Convention Center.

In one stand, a lemon tree is sold for Rp 75,000, while another participant has put a Rp 250,000 price tag on a potted lemon tree. There are also banyan trees, kamboja (Plumiera acuminata) and money-tree (Pachira aquita), planted in pots; each cost at least Rp 200,000. Mini potted plants, like cactus and hyacinths, are available at lower prices.

"It smells great, and it's imported from Holland," said an attendant, pointing to a 20-cm hyacinth.

Potted plants are only a small part of the show, opened by Vice President Try Sutrisno Friday and on until Tuesday. There are many more things to do and see than just buying plants and flowers.

Workshops on flower arrangement, a flower arrangement contest, a floriculture expo and bourse, international seminars on the floriculture industry and fashion shows are among the activities planned. Tomorrow, a Dutch expert on flower arrangement, Peeter Boey Pens, will demonstrate his skills and on closing day a floral bazaar and auction will be held.

The five-day event is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and tickets cost Rp 2,500. Around 15,000 visitors are expected.

Over 60 companies are participating in the show, including several from the Netherlands and Japan.

The flower industry is constantly growing and expanding in developed countries. In Europe, America and East Asia, the floriculture business is a highly competitive industry. In the last two decades, some developing countries, like South America and South Africa have established a floriculture industry to meet both the domestic and international market.

The horticultural subsector in Indonesia grows at a rate of just 2.5 percent a year, according to the show organizers, the Indonesian Flower Association. This is relatively small compared to the average 6.8 percent growth of the Indonesian economy in the past two decades.

Since 1985, the floricultural component of the horticultural subsector has shown rapid growth with a rate of between 15 and 20 percent per year.

Darmanto Kusumaningrat, chairman of the Central Board of the Cooperatives of Indonesian Flowers, said farmers could not fully develop their business as they lacked of capital, the marketing strategy was weak and they had not mastered adequate breeding and seedling techniques.

"As a result, it's hard to produce flowers of high quality and wide variety and which can last," he said.

Darmanto said most farmers were stuck with "old products" like sedap malam (tuberose), marguerite, aster and gladiola, instead of the new products in high demand, such as chrysanthemum, carnation, antorium, gipsophila, caspea and lily.

The Cooperatives' branches are located in Cihideung, Sukabumi, Cipanas, Semarang and Ambarawa, with about 2,000 members. (sim)