Source: The Sangai Express / Manipur Information Centre
New Delhi, September 13:
Dried flowers, bonsai plants and indigenous orchids displayed at the Manipur Stall of the 3rd International Flora Expo 2007 held at Pragati Maidan here also drew a big crowd on the second day today.
Union Minister of Agriculture Arjun Singh inaugurated the three-day Expo yesterday.
The Minister mentioned the contribution of National Horticulture Mission launched last year and the Technology Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture in the North Eastern States in 2001-02.Centres for organized floriculture had emerged in many parts of the country including Bangalore, Pune, and Nasik.
Mizoram, Meghalaya and Sikkim had entered export and domestic markets in this field.
Setting up of six Agri-Export Zones for floriculture, besides a large number of flower clusters under National Horticulture Mission, was expected to provide further impetus to the domestic and international trade of floriculture products in the coming years, the Minister added.
.NBirendrakumar Singh, Agriculture Officer of the Technology Mission Cell, Government of Manipur said here today that all 150 bonsais displayed by Th.Imocha and all indigenous orchids displayed by T.Nabachandra had been booked by the customers yesterday itself.
The value of the bonsais would be around Rs.one lakh.
Buyers did not believe the indigenous orchids like dendobrium as real plant.
They asked if it was of plastic products, he added.
Ashihrii of Mao who displayed dried flowers and other decorative items said that his items were made of pine reeds, hydrangea (Forget Me Not), wild moss, chrysanthemum found in the hills.
The products were bouquets with bamboo baskets, bouquets wrapped by polythene sheets and traditional dolls made of maize seeds.
The buyers asked about the various design of his exhibits, he said.