GOVERNOR’S SECRETARIAT
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
ITANAGAR

IPR (PR) 3/2009                                                                 Dated Naharlagun, July 2, 2009

PRESS RELEASE NO. 590

Governor stresses on financial empowerment through orchid farming

Itanagar, July 2: We should propagate the new techniques in orchid farming and help people in their financial empowerment through it, said state Governor Gen J.J Singh, while introducing four new varieties of orchids, which he brought from Singapore in the Raj Bhavan Orchid House here today.

He said, ‘We should train our farmers, so that they can generate income out of it. Our focus should be on the fairer genders on pilot project basis,’ he added, reports PRO to Governor.
Citing that instead of traditional jhuming, people of Mizoram are going for cultivation of gerbera and other exotic plants and earning lots, Gen Singh emphasized on confidence building of the people to go for such ventures.

Calling upon the forest officials to be proactive in their approach, Gen Singh asked them to impart training to the villagers on orchid and propagation, adding that the technologies should not be confined to the laboratories only. He said that the objective will not be achieved, if people cannot avail benefit from it and asked the officials to distribute seedlings to the farmers.

Team of officials from State Forest Research Institute, Chimpu led by Orchodologist Dr. A.N. Rao along with Research Assistant Ratan Perme and Technical Assistant Kara Serbi Rab is helping the introduction of the exotic varieties. Dr. Rao pointed that the varieties are not available in the country and are of latest assortment.

The new orchids are Vanda Sanderiana, Dendrobium Caesar, Vanda Colorsan and Mokra Khaw Phaik Suan.

It may be mentioned here that under the initiative of the First Lady Anupama Singh, two orchid houses has been set up at Raj Bhavan, which adored with five varieties of exotic orchids and thirty-one of indigenous ones. As desired by the Governor, half of the new orchids, approximately 100 seedlings will be given to Orchid center, Tippi for propagation.
Arunachal's rich and colorful orchids find a place of pride. Out of about a thousand species of orchids in India, over 500 are to be found in Arunachal alone. Hence this state can rightly be called the Orchid Paradise of our country. Many of these orchids are rare, endangered and highly ornamental with long-lasting flower qualities. Amongst the orchids as many as 150 species are ornamental and commercially important. Orchids form a dominant group of plants with their attractive and unique blooms.

Orchids in Arunachal Pradesh can also be classified into 140 species of terrestrial orchids with 15 saprophytes and about 340 epiphytes found in the different forest types. The prominent species are Cymbidium ansifolium, Cymbidium grandiflorum, Coelogyne corymbosa, Dendroblum aphylla, D. fimbriatum var occulatum, D. densiflorum, Calanthe masuca, Phaius flavus, Paphiopedilum. fairrieanum, P.venustum Renanthera imschootiana, Vanda coenulea , etc. Rhynchostylis retusa is the state flower of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Department of Environment and Forest has established an Orchid Research and Development Station at Tipi in West Kameng district for propagation and conservation of these species. This centre has established a laboratory for orchid seeds and tissue culture for this purpose. In addition Orchidorium at Tippi, two orchid conservation sanctuaries have been established at Sessa and Dirang in West Kameng district, the report added.

Sd/- Purabi Taikam, PRO