Coordinated Production and Marketing System for Flowering Orchid Plants

Potted orchids has a wholesale value of $107 million and is the second-ranked flowering-plant in the U.S. The major problem for Hawaii producers is distance from market and high air transportation costs of tall plants. This proposal seeks to address this problem through an innovative coordinated production and marketing system. By developing new technology to control orchid plant height, coordinated with adding value through new plant forms and packaging that addresses transportation costs and needs of buyers, this innovative system directly addresses the problem of distance to market. Technologically controlled forms of orchid plants to specific height parameters will result in lower shipping costs and innovative plant products, which, combined with value-added packaging will result in long-term competitiveness of Hawaii growers in overseas markets, and sustain one of Hawaii's most promising specialty crop industries.