C
cwt
Guest
Just read in Orchid Digest they are closing down?!?!?!? So sad when the big guys disappear.
Charles
Charles
I can't help but wonder what he means by, "changing aspects of the orchid industry and societal trends." Any thoughts?
It is sad. I had some plants from them before my mother killed the plants. It's a terrible shame to lose such a big name in the industry.
This is what I hear from breeders, judges, AOS insider types:
The bread and butter sales of corsage cattleya and hybrid phals have fallen to bellow margins. Nobody wears corsages any more, and hybrid phals are mericloned for almost nothing in Taiwan. The weather in Taiwan reduces operating costs even compared to Florida conditions.
Slippers are still resistant to mass production and holding price, but just don't command that much market share.
The number of young people entering the hobby is fairly low (maybe just reflecting demographics), and the old folks collections are maxed out. Young people are spending all their money in video games, and live in apartments, so can't develop big collections. Many societies have declining memberships that also reflect above demographics.
The cost of gas is making it tougher for both vendors and customers to make it to shows. In general show sales amounts have really dropped off.
This isn't organized it's just what I hear. In many ways it seems like if your business is based on hybrid catts or phals then it's in trouble. Species are getting real niche and competitive.
Due to lack of progress and stagnated thoughts [continuation of 'Me' generation], I think the US should apply for 'Third World' status!
What the Orchid world needs in general is more public exposure....
.....We have to get a lot of public interest in orchids with WOC21 in 2014. So we have to expose people to orchids again. During the past few months we have started with different ideas to do this, one is to have a big Orchid Expo every March, starting next year. We even got a Magazine involved.
For the past 4 months I have done a number of radio programs, and the feedback and people phoning in is tremendous. From November I will have my own half hour progam weekly countrywide, just on orchids.
What we are now realising, is that there is still a lot of peple interested, but they are not part of organised society life anymore, and apart from internet, have no way of reading or participate in orchid related matters.
We have also got the go ahead for a series of TV programs, and we found the sponsors to do it. If handled correctly, that would bring a lot of people back to active orchid growing. And this in a third world country like South Africa!!My 2 cents worth. Charles
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