Agricom.id, JAKARTA – Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) always tells about Gratieks or gerakan tiga kali ekspor for every agricultural commodity, including the artificial plants.

In the first quarter of 2020, the artificial plant production, based on central bureau of statistic reached 342.422.645 pieces and the export volume reached 4.176.294 kilogram or equal to US$ 12.176.244. The numbers of exports showed that it is the big chance to do artificial plant business.

General Director of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture, Prihasto Setyanto said that his officer would do anything to support Gratieks, such as, through GEDOR Horti (Gerakan Dorong Produksi, Daya Saing dan Ramah Lingkungan Hortikultura).

“GEDOR Horti focus on the quality production and productivity to the horticultural products by implementing the quality management system which would be proved by GAP, GHP certificate and also plantation registration. The most important thing too is that the implementation of cultivation and post-harvest technology to make the horticultural operational cost efficient,” he said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

The demands on the floricultural products would be increasing in every single year as the increasing people’s economy. The increasing products also happen to the seeds to cultivate.

One which does artificial business and exports artificial plant is PT. Kebun Bibit Penuh Bunga. It has been operating since 2011 in Dusun Tonggolari, Village of Sidomulyo RT04/RW 09, Sidomulyo, Sub district of Batu, City of Batu, East Java.

The products are Kuping Gajah (Anthurium sp), Sirih Gading (Philodendron sp), Talas Talasan (Alocasia spp), Alamanda (Allamanda sp), Little ruby (Alternanthera dentata), Spathiphyllum (Spathiphyllum sp), Amaryllis (Amaryllis sp), Begonia (Begonia sp), Cocor Bebek (Kalanchoe pinnata), Ekor Tupai (Asparagus Densiflora), Dracaena (Dracaena sp.), Cemara Udang, Beringin ( Ficus sp),  Pedang - Pedangan (Sanseveria spp), and Chines Elm (Ulmus sp). 

The cutting is the way to multiply the seeds of artificial plants and separating tillers. The company also gets kinds of seeds from 350 farmers as the partners in some districts and cities in Bogor, Blitar, Malang, Pekanbaru, and Pontianak. But most seeds are from Bogor.

“The exports are increasing now. Before the pandemic, we could export about 200-400 pieces but now we could export 1.500 pieces that made about US$ 22 thousand. The countries are Singapore, America, Australia, Poland, and German,” the owner of PT. Kebun Bibit Penuh Bunga, Steve Stanley said some time ago.

He also mentioned that the company regularly exports to Singapore twice a week in every year. The company also tries to get the export chance to America.

“We are in holidays in Chinese New Year for about 3 weeks. In America we do not export in winter season. We do anturium exports to Australia, Poland, and German because it is difficult to export others,” he proudly said.

The increasing artificial plant exports happen because of the customers from many sectors, such as, the housing, the office, hotel, restaurant, and the materials to religious or traditional ceremony. Some kinds of the plants have advantages, such as, vanishing the particles in the air, reducing the dust in the room, minimizing the noise, neutralizing the bad smell, making the better sleep, increasing the immunity of body, reducing stress, and giving the classy style.

“It is widely open to do artificial plants because we have resources that other countries do not have. This is the chance and challenges for the businessmen in the seeds of artificial plants. It needs to increase the quality, there should be continuous qualified seeds and it needs consistency to maintain the production management,” Director of Horticulture Seeds, Ministry of Agriculture, Sukarman said. (T2)