Pearl auction ends in Mataram
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 07/13/2011 6:33 PM
Almost US$100,000 worth of South Sea pearls were sold at auction at the Lombok Sumbawa Pearl Festival 2011 in Mataram, according to an official.
Indonesian Pearl Farming Association deputy chairman Bambang Setiawan said, as quoted by Antara, $96,000 of Lombok pearls were sold for about $16.30 per gram, up from $5 per gram at last year’s festival.
Lombok, Indonesia’s pearl production hub; Australia; the Philippines and Myanmar are only producers of world-famous South Sea pearls.
The local administration, set to launch its Visit Lombok Sumbawa 2012 campaign, said it hoped the festival, which ended on Monday, would promote tourism in the province.
