Meghalaya has started Dendrobium orchid cut flower production in Umsning Block in Ri-Bhoi, an aspirational district of the State. The aim is also to make Ri-Bhoi as an orchid-cut flower production district of the State.
The project is a collaborative effort of the Bio Resources Development Centre (BRDC), Upper Shillong, and the Institute of Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Upper Shillong, through the financial support of BIRAC-BioNEST scheme under the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
Meghalaya and other northeastern states of the country are endowed with a climate conducive to commercial production of orchids. Among the commercial orchids, Dendrobium hybrids occupy 85 percent of the space.
There is tremendous demand for Dendrobium cut flower spikes of commercial standards in the national and export markets. Locally, there is high demand for the flower, especially during the peak wedding season, All Souls’ Day, and other festivities. In order to meet the demand, florists have to procure the orchid from Thailand or South India.
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