An Orchidarium in the 6th Mile Upper Shillong area has turned into the latest tourist attraction of Meghalaya’s capital, Shillong. This is thanks to the showcasing of Orchid flower plants in variegated hues, grown by 20 women entrepreneurs in the northeastern state.
Developed in 2019 in a 600-meter area Poly-house, the Orchidarium showcases the colorful results of a sustained process of the central government’s Department of Biotechnology’s (DBT) direct funding and assistance, helping at least 20 female cultivators of Orchids turn into entrepreneurs in various districts of Meghalaya, including Shillong and East Khasi Hills district.
Housing the diverse genres of Orchid flower plants, the Orchidarium supplies seed plants, cut flowers, and potted plants of the multi-floral local and hybrid Orchid varieties across the country. “The Orchidarium was started in 2019, a few months before the pandemic struck.”
“But with the decline in COVID cases since 2021, the 20 women entrepreneurs or cultivators of the local and hybrid varieties have attained sales worth over Rs 7 lakh,” said Dr. JK Shukla, Scientist at the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD-Imphal) node in Shillong. The IBSD is a national institute of the central government’s DBT.
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