Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - The country now has a garden centre —the Rimba Garden Centre located at Rimba Horticulture Centre in Gadong. The centre was established with the aim of enhancing the development, marketing and distribution of products.

The key handing over ceremony for the Rimba Garden Centre Facilities and Development Project scheme took place yesterday. A mock key was presented by Senior Executive Engineer of PWD, Haji Omar all Hj hair from Development Department, Ministry of Development to Acting Deputy Director of Agriculture, Hajah Aidah binti Hj Mohd Hanifah.

The project is timely as the Department of Agriculture is focusing on providing the cultivators and farmers in the floriculture businesses with a conducive environment in order to flourish.

The concept will also be connected to family activities (recreation and leisure), sale and product promotion of landscape gardens such as

cactus garden and orchid garden, as well as floriculture and ornamental plant garden landscape.

The concept aims to upgrade the development of the ornamental plants and floriculture garden industry by raising awareness of the business opportunities and boosting the interest of the public.

The project also acts as focal point for meetings on horiculture at the national and international level. According to press release from Agriculture

Department in 2007, floriculture produced a total of 406,501 trees with a market value of $1.95 millions, which was 55.6 per cent of local production. While the production of flower cuttings stood at 229,648 with a market value of $0.23 million which was 18.5 per cent of local production.

The production of floriculture has increased by 3.4 per cent compared to 2006 which recorded only 332,269 trees. The production of flower cuttings increased by 4.3 per cent compared to 2006 which recorded only 166,666 cuttings.

In an effort to increase floriculture and ornamental plants production, several plans have been made for the development of gardener entrepreneurs through the National Development Scheme that include the Rimba Garden Centre

The project is implemented by Development Department of the Public Works Department under the Ministry of Development.

The building was designed by Architect HAZA. The construction of the building started on February 8, 2007 and ended on July 7, 2008. The project included the building of a multipurpose hall to replace the present building to accommodate all the agricultural projects.

Apart from making the centre a research and learning centre in agriculture as well as a tourist destination, the building is also a hub for agriculture development and promoting new technologies involving both the government and private sectors. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin