Year Round Production of Orchids

The orchids have taken a significant position in cut flower industry due to its attractiveness, long shelf life, high productivity, right season of bloom, easy in packing and transportation. Orchid accounts for a large share of global floriculture trade both as cut flowers and as potted plants and is estimated around 10% of international fresh cut flower trade. The Netherlands is the top most orchid exporting country (39.67%) followed by Thailand (28.41%), Taiwan (10%), Singapore (10%) and New Zealand (6%), respectively. Importing countries are mainly Japan (30%), UK (12%), Italy (10%), France (7%) and the USA (6%), respectively. The total orchid cut flower trade of the world mostly consists of 85% Dendrobium species and 15% Phalaenopsis and Cymbidium species and Asia is the main source of orchid to enter the world. In India, some of native genera like Cymbidium, Paphiopedilum, Vanda, Arachnis and Dendrobium are cultivated on a large scale for cut flower production. The Cymbidium is mainly grown in NEH Region, Sikkim, Darjeeling hills, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Tropical orchids are cultivated in Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra. We should prefer those species which flower during winter and spring months to export flowers to temperate regions from December to May. The present book on ‘Year Round Production of Orchids’ containing 16 chapters which covers the wide aspects of orchids starting from classification, botanical description, importance and uses, commercially important species and hybrids for year round production, production of planting materials, selection of species and hybrids for year round flower production, nursery structures, climatic management, planting, Orchids for pot culture/hanging baskets/tree mounting, manuring and fertilization, aftercare, harvest and economics of cultivation, insect pests and diseases and schedule for year round production of orchids. It will be an useful handy reference book for amateur and professional orchid growers, small and big orchid farmers, orchid entrepreneurs, extension workers, exporters and students.