Palembang, South Sumatra - Participants in an Asian Orchid Exhibition which took place in Palembang May 10 to 18 booked sales totaling  Rp2.1 billion, a spokesman said.

Of the total amount, around 30 percent or Rp630 million were revenues of local orchid farmers, secretary of the expo's organizing committee Ali Zaman said here on Monday.

The exhibition was enthusiastically welcomed by local people, was participated in by Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, the wife of Vice President M Jusuf Kalla and concurrently chairperson of the Indonesian Orchid Lovers Association, officially opened the expo last May 10.

- Source : Antara News Agency, 19 May 2008