Most of India s orchids are found in the tropical forests of the north-east and the western ghats, and indiscriminate extraction for export had put several species on the threatened list. Government efforts in identification, documentation and conservation too have been feeble, and it is only through initiatives of private nurseries that orchids are being preserved and marketed. However, the National Herbarium and Plant Research Centre in Godavari has been conducting experiments on tissue culture propagation. The results have been implemented by the Department of Plant Resources to regenerate over 50 species of orchids. Nepali enterprises have established links with large Asian orchid dealers in Thailand, Korea, Taiwan and Japan and Nepal s chamber of commerce has also identified the Middle East, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan as possible export markets.
Entrepreneurs say that all it now requires is a committed collective effort.
We are looking for ways to start a joint venture to tap the international market for our flowers, says Rai. The sixth annual floriculture exposition this year, at the end of April, will have foreign investors and floriculturists participating, he says. But before going international, the industry needs basic requirements like cold store and transportation facilities, a good marketing strategy and financial assistance for floriculturists. Though the horticulture industry has received priority, entrepreneurs say government policy is not clearly defined. Unlike for other agricultural enterprises, there are subsidies for transportation and packaging floriculture products but most entrepreneurs say this hasn t really impacted businesses, which are usually small scale.