The orchids are flowers of exquisite beauty and variety. The orchids are among the popular cut flowers which has taken the cut flower industry to a new height, as through its complexities and elegantly formed sepals it captures an element of beauty.
”Different species of orchids are widely used in floral arrangements; hand bunches, wedding decors etc. Through the years, with the development of new orchid species, the world-wide demand for orchids has increased giving the cut flower industry a high market value. The shapes, colours and fragrances of the orchids make them popular among people. I always prefer to gift orchids instead of any other flower, because it has better shelf life and is appreciated due to its patterns and colour combinations which suits every occasion”, said Mr. suhas Goswami, a HR professional.
 The orchids are marketed both as preserved plants and as cut-flowers. In the past few years, the orchid trade has increased both in volume and value throughout the world.
Orchids are considered to be a high value crop and is a good source of profit in the market worldwide. Several nurseries and orchids development centers have been opened across the world to meet the growing demands of the orchids. India has large variety of orchids which grow in various part of the country.
Orchids are among the most highly prized of ornamental plants. In Mexico Orchids are used symbolically by the natives to convey their emotions associated with various ceremonies or religious events. From the time that orchids were first imported from the Bahamas to Britain (in the early 18th cent.) they have continuously been cultivated for their monitory value and have been successfully hybridized and the variety has improved since then. Many orchids are now being cultivated by tissue culture methods. Hawaii has become a major center for commercial orchid culture. A species of the Vanilla genus of tropical America is considered to be an economical source of natural vanilla flavoring.
Scientifically India has all the potentials for the growth and development of a successful orchid industry; some important commercial varieties of orchids are Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum, and Vanda which are grown as cut-flowers. Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh are the states which are known as orchid rich areas in the country. In South of India, states like Kerala has high humidity and low temperature which is further accompanied by good rainfall, such pleasant climate is always best for cultivation of commercial orchids. The coastal regions like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka have tremendous potential to grow this Flower in India.
Though India has all the positives like diversified climate, low cost of labor, and progressive farming technology, the orchid industry is still in a nascent stage both in terms of micro propagation and commercial cultivation. Nevertheless, orchids are very popular and most preferred flowers for every occasion among the Indian consumer.
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