Orchid centers opened in Bogor

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor | Fri, 08/06/2010 11:29 AM

Two orchid nurseries were opened in Bogor regency Thursday, aimed at helping farmers gain access to quality seeds at an affordable price.

The head of the Indonesian Orchid Association (PAI), Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, who is also the wife of former vice president Jusuf Kalla, said at the inauguration ceremony that the centers were aimed at cultivating quality Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis families of orchids because the two varieties were still imported.

"Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis are the two most wanted species of orchid because of their showy flowers and affordable prices. Therefore we will breed the seeds here so we can distributed them to orchid farmers throughout Indonesia at cheaper prices," Mufidah said.

The centers, which were established by Mufidah and Riantini Sofjan Wanandi as shareholders, serve two different purposes.

The 12-hectare center in Gunung Geulis is for seedlings and the 16-hectare plot in Citeko is for blooming.

The ceremony was attended by former vice president Jusuf Kalla, the Indonesian Employers Association chairman Sofjan Wanandi, Agriculture Ministry Horticulture Director General Ahmad Dimyati and a group of Taiwan orchid stakeholders led by Tainan County magistrate Su Huan Chih.

Mufidah said orchid farmers in Indonesia faced obstacles including seeds that were mostly imported from Taiwan and complex regulations and bureaucracy.

Some orchid farmers have highlighted the difficulties they faced in getting permission to establish of orchid gardens as well as the flexible fees needed to get the permission, leading to high production costs.

Riantini said Indonesian farmers would reap benefits if orchid seeds could be bred domestically with technical assistance from the Taiwan Orchid Association.

"We really expect cooperation with the Taiwan Orchid Association to go smoothly so we can develop a good orchid conservation program," she said.