Mr.Dahlan Iskan Fed Rektorof IPB
There’s always eccentricactions made by Minister of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) of Government of Indonesia, Mr.DahlanIskan, in every public meetings. One of which was the time when the Minister visited the booth of InstitutPertanian Bogor (IPB) at the Festival of Festival BungadanBuah Nusantara(FBBN- Flowers and Fruit Nusantara Festival), held on 17-19 May 2013, at the BaranangsiangCampus, Bogor. The papaya "Calissa" from the Center for Tropical Horticulture Studies IPBwas presented for Mr.DahlanIskan. After splitting and put out the seeds he tried to findthe target for him to feed. Mr.Dahlanfed the piece of papaya Calissainto the mouth IPB Rector, Prof. Dr.IrHerrySuhardiyanto. The IPB Rector spontaneously opened his mouth and chew it.
"Is it Sweet?" DahlanIskan asked the Rector. "Of course yes, it is Sweet, sir!" Rector responded with a smile. The Next piece was given to the Deputy Mayor of Bogor, Mr.Ahmad Rukyat. Immediately, Mr.Ahmad Rukyatchew the papaya. "Why don’t you try to taste the Papayayourself, sir?"Flattered theChairman of 50th Anniversary of IPB, Dr.MeikaSyahbanaRusli, when Dr.Meikasaw Mr.DahlanIskanwas looking for another target. "Just wait, the biggest part is for me," said Mr.Iskanwith the burst oflaughter ofthe visitors.
In addition to taste the papaya, when Mr.Iskanvisited the booth of IPB he also tried to taste the fruit kebabs made by IPB student, who has successfully opened more than 20 outlets. Similar to the previous action, Mr.Iskan was trying to scoop everyone nearby, including fruit kebabs sales girls/boys. This action stopped immediately after the fruit kebab in his hand gone.
In his opening remarks in the Opening Ceremony of this special event, Mr.Iskan, acknowledged IPBfor the successfuldevelopment of many new tropical fruitvarieties of. "I am very grateful to IPB researchers who have bred that mangosteenwhich is ready to bear fruit within 30 months, durian also starts bearing fruitwithin 30 months, and superior papayaas well. Naturally, both mangosteen and durian will bearingfruits after 5 years, "said Mr.DahlanIskan. For the successful achievement, Mr.Iskan has promoted one of the IPB alumnae, Ir.DadiSunardi, MM, as the Director of PTPN VIII to grow 500 acres of mangosteen, and500 acres durianwith papaya as mix cropping system. PTPN VIII has targeted to grow 6 thousand hectares of mangosteen and durian. Later, each hectare of durian and mangosteenis expected to yield Rp. 100 million.
Coincided with this special event, as part of the 50thAnniversary of IPB Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between PTPN VIII with seven institutions such as Tropical Horticulture Research Centerof IPB, PulitbangHortikultura(Horticultural Research Center of the Ministry of Agriculture), Research Plantation Nusantara, PT. LarisManisUtama, PT. Sewu Segar Nusantara, PT.MuliaRaya.Tbk, and PT.MandiriSuksesPratamahad been signed to develop fruits and tropical flowers. (Wied).
