The Hindu : Karnataka News : A colourful bouquet is part of the reward

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Friday, May 06, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

A colourful bouquet is part of the reward

Raviprasad Kamila

It takes complete dedication to grow a garden of orchids.

BLOOMING BUSINESS: Orchids grown in Bajpe, near Mangalore

MANGALORE: Dakshina Kannada is not a traditional orchid-growing area. But efforts have been made at Bajpe, near here, in recent years.

Orchids are ornamental flowers which have their limitations in the market. Prabha Cutinho and her husband, residents of Bajpe, started growing orchids two-and-a-half years ago. Their garden has Sonia-12, a purple variety, which is in great demand, besides Panthem Red, Sharifa Fatima (a yellow variety), Piravati White and Chengamai Pink. It takes much hard work to make these flowers bloom and the plants need complete attention if one wants to earn a profit, Ms. Cutinho says.

She invested Rs. 2.6 lakhs in 2002 to build a greenhouse and grow the plants. The plants were planted in pots in October that year. In January, 2003, the couple sold flowers worth Rs. 465. There are now 2,000 pots in an area of 1,600 sq.ft. Sale of these flowers will fetch Rs. 1.5 lakh at the rate of Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 12,000 a month. Although it normally takes a year for the plants to give their full yield, flowering begins within six months of planting, Ms. Cutinho told The Hindu .

Although the Department of Horticulture provides subsidy, it is limited to purchasing the net used for building a greenhouse.

There are only a few orchid growers in Bajpe. While Ms. Cutinho uses the direct marketing method, others sell the flowers through agents who supply them to the local market and other places. She says she used to depend on an agent but he proved to be untrustworthy. "Be cautious about some agents who encourage you to grow orchids. Not all of them can be trusted," she adds.

The plants thrive on fertilizers, cow dung, neem cake mixture, coconut water and groundnut cake mixture. Pesticides are sprayed. Orchid growers have to ensure that their gardens are free of snails, which eat the plant shoots.

According to Ms. Cutinho, orchids can be cultivated in places where the humidity is high. But she warns that it is no easy task.

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