As one of horticulture plants, orchids have a very high aesthetic and economic value. The beauty of the flower makes the plant expensive, both as ornamental plants and cut flowers. It is very potential to be developed in agribusiness. These facts also made orchids to become a non-oil export commodity that must be taken into account in order to increase foreign exchange.
Dr. Ir. Aziz Purwantoro, M. Sc, said to support these goals, a forum is required, which would give direction to the orchid lovers’ community about policies regulating orchid agribusiness and agrotourism in Indonesia. It is expected to get inputs from orchid experts and academicians about the need for conservation of natural orchids in Indonesia, as well as tips to improve the quality of orchid plants with modern technology.
"This valuable knowledge is needed, especially for orchids business stakeholders to get a clear picture about the prospects for agribusiness in Indonesia," he said in the University Center UGM, Wednesday (27/10) during the International Seminar on Orchid Conservation and agribussiness entitled Orchids as Leading Commodity of Agribusiness.
As the organizing committee’s chairman of the of the International Orchid and Agro-Expo 2010 activity, Aziz revealed that the high diversity of orchids in Indonesia should be supported for its management to make it sustainable. Thus, the cooperation between governments, farmers, traders, researchers and academicians as well as other relevant stakeholders is necessary to realize orchids as a leading agricultural commodity.
The International Seminar on Orchid’s Conservation and agribusiness 2010 aims to strengthen and develop agro-industries and agro-based industries in Indonesia and the world. The event organized together by UGM, Kadin of Indonesia Central Area and Kadin Yogyakarta province present speakers from inside and outside the country, among others, Dr. Irawati (Botanical Garden-LIPI), Dr. Endang Semiarti (UGM), Prof. Syoichi Ichihasta (Nagoya-Japan) and Dr. Alex Chang (NTU, Taiwan).