Yes, there are crooks amongst the growers and the dealers. Sedirea plants, for example, treated with temporary-acting dwarfing hormones to scam buyers into thinking they are the real thing is a sad fact of life. Sweeping statements about all Neos, D. moniliformes and C. goeringii plants being cheap products of a scam, however, aren't really helpful nor completely true. There are many reputable production houses for these plants which produce quality plants by means of seed production and division. Tissue culture is frowned upon, at least when it comes to Neos, but we know that it happens. The cheap mass production of collectible Asian orchid plants is something which has been deliberately kept from public view.
Shining a light upon these problems, when done responsibly and documented for purposes of veracity, can help to expose the fraud and corruption and help to make buyers more aware and cautious when making their purchases. Ask questions if these things really matter to you, and demand that the seller give you more than lip service when it comes to providing you with quality plant products.
Reports of bad business practices framed in bitterness and couched in terms of hearsay tend to make these stories, even when they are true, end up being discounted in the minds of those who truly want to believe they have access to the best plants. The quality of the end product is what matters most to those of us who collect and grow these plants.
As with any new and popular product, prices will be higher at first but then decline as availability increases. There will always be new and exciting varieties being introduced into the marketplace. This feeds the demand for new plants and pushes the business forward from year to year. It's a given that the end cost to consumers is always going to be higher than the cost of production and higher than the wholesale cost to the dealer or middle man. This is the way of capitalism. It does not necessarily indicate corruption.
It is also wise to take note, however, that Asian production of consumer goods, including orchids plants, definitely has some notorious hurdles to overcome when it comes to issues of integrity, quality, consistency, disease control and so forth. I hope that pressure from consumers and investigative documentative reporting by qualified individuals will help to steer things in a more reputable direction as we move forward. Any volunteers? :wink: