State to develop orchid garden in PPP mode

MP | 8 May 2023 | Kolkata: The state Food Processing Industries & Horticulture (FPI&H) department is developing an orchid garden in PPP mode in Jalpaiguri to tap the huge demand of the flower in the northeast. 

The tropical orchid garden, which will be developed at Mohitnagar farm belonging to the state FPI&H department will also relieve the people of the hassles of travelling to the hills for witnessing this beautiful flower. 

A senior official of FPI&H department said that seven types of orchid saplings will be brought from Thailand and after hardening the same through scientific method, it will be given to the interested farmers to undertake its cultivation. “We are hopeful that orchid cultivation in the plains will show a new direction for self sufficiency in areas adjacent to the Mohitnagar farm,” the official added. 

Additional Chief Secretary of FPI&H department Subrata Gupta who recently visited the site for the garden said that he had already held talks with the District Magistrate for having toilet facilities and a cafeteria for tourist amenities at the place. Interested visitors can also purchase flowers from the orchid garden at a rate which will be much less in comparison to the market price.

At least 1000 orchids of seven types will be grown in the garden. Presently, orchids are also very much in demand for decoration purpose particularly in the corporate sector. 

A senior official of the farm which has been roped by the department said that they expect to import the saplings in the next two months and then after hardening them will hand them over to farmers for cultivation. 

“We will also develop market linkages so that the orchid flower cultivators can have a market for their products and earn a livelihood,” the official said. Orchids are natural gauges of air quality because they don’t grow in polluted air. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/state-to-develop-orchid-garden-in-ppp-mode-517793