S. Ramakrishnan, proprietor of Rynco Orchids, Trivandrum, Kerala, and Proprietor of
M/s. Cryptox BioSolutions, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, explains about mokara
orchids, which are hybrid flowers valued for their bright colours and durability. They
are cultivated primarily for the cut flower market, offering good income for farmers.
Advances in cultivation techniques make production easier and more efficient. The
crop has growing potential in both domestic and global markets.
It was in 2016 that Orchid started gaining momentum in the Indian market. We started our
first farm in Thiruvananthapuram, and again in 2011, we expanded in Tamil Nadu, Thuckalay,
on seven acres. We also grow dendrobium, vanda, cattleya, phalaenopsis, and oncidium.
We are supplying cut flowers and potted flowers. India is witnessing a surge in orchid
cultivation and business. People are looking for new varieties of orchids, mostly in cities like
Bangalore, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Kerala is largely into orchid cultivation. Many growers and
importers are coming up in India. A similar trend was witnessed in Singapore, Thailand, and
Taiwan. India has just started, as the economy is growing, and people are looking for new
products. There are so many varieties in orchids, such as dendrobium, vanda, mokara,
oncidium, and phalaenopsis. In India, we are growing only dendrobium as a cut flower
product.
Oncidum has a huge scope, but no one has started it. Phalaenopsis has a huge market, but
the initial investment is too high and is in the initial stage. There are a few varieties of
mokara which have attractive colours, spikes in floral arrangements, and designs in the
petals and sepals. It is for this reason that this flower has a huge market in India. Each
variety has different colours and patterns. They have a long life span, love sunlight, and
grow well. While some varieties want 75% sunlight, there are a few that need 50 or 25%
sunlight. Vanda comes under the mokara orchid category; its flower is large compared with
the mokara and comes with attractive colours.
When we go for mokara cut flowers production, we need to take care of a few aspects
before starting the business—selection of planting material, the location where we will be
starting the project, and the climate. In Kerala, the rainfall is very high, so we have to give
preference to plants that are tolerant to rain. In places like Tamil Nadu, where the rainfall is
low, we have to ensure the right amount of humidity and select suitable planting material.
Each mokara orchid has its own cultivation techniques and tips, such as how to grow,
watering, fertilizing, etc, which are important. When we have our own land, we can supply
the plants to the nearby farmers and buy back the flowers to be supplied to the florist. This is
the method followed in Malaysia. It is easy to do. We need to analyse the flower marketing
network. In India, the market is improving in Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore as people
prefer to buy orchids, which are a premium flower and have a long life of up to 15 days.
Mostly, these flowers are produced by tissue culture techniques. As the plants are imported,
we do not give much importance to tissue culture and breeding, as for now.
Ensuring healthy flower production
The selected plants should be healthy, without any disease, and be regular bloomers. The
mokara plants have flowers in each leaf or in alternate leaves. We should ensure the plants
give regular blooms. We need to take into consideration the tolerance to rainfall. In Kerala,
the climate helps the plants to have long life and long spikes to be used for decoration. We
should also pick different color combinations, such as red, yellow, purple, blue, and white, as
the florists prefer a variety of colours for different flower arrangements. They should be easy
to pack, not get damaged. For the cultivation of mokara orchids, we need to use a 50%
shade net, and if possible, 2 layers of shade net, which will be very good. The more the
sunlight, the faster the growth and quality, which again depends on topography, location,
and sunlight intensity. The microclimate in the shade net will help plant growth. If the
humidity outside is low, due to the usage of shade net and sprinkler irrigation, the humidity
increases up to 60%. The location should have a minimum of 60% humidity, as in the inland.
Apart from climatic factors, we have to use good-quality fertilizer to grow good-quality
orchids, and we should have complete knowledge about pests and the management of
diseases. Mokara orchids do not get many pests, but weeds do come up, which can be
controlled by chemical protection. In places of high rainfall, we can observe some diseases,
but otherwise, it is very less. When we go for contract farming in orchid flowers, the demand
is high. The demand is very high, and the supply is less. So we can also increase the price.
When a florist gets flowers from us, he will start pushing us to negotiate prices, but we have
to be careful and keep the price on the higher side.
Growing mokara for profit
We can grow mokara orchids in two methods – one in the soil, and another in benches.
When we grow in the soil, the land should have a slight slope to prevent any water
stagnation and root rot. If the land absorbs water quickly, we can go for cultivation here too.
As media, we can use the soil, wood chips, and coconut fibre. We have to avoid wood
sheaths with lignin, which need to be avoided. Some people grow orchids in benches,
instead of trays; they use shade nets. When using benches, the cost of investment is high.
When we go for the business for the first time, it is better to take the help of a consultant as
the plant’s nature is different from other plants. It does not need soil media and can absorb
nutrients from the air. We have to understand the characteristics of orchids before starting
the business. This business needs a huge investment. For growing one acre, we have to
invest Rs. 75 lakhs at least, and we can break even by the second year, and from the third
year onwards, we can get a profit.
We can get offshoots as planting materials. Top cuts are very expensive. When the plan
grows straight, if we cut the top portion from the side, there will be a few more branches
coming up, which are called offshoots. They give flowers within one year. Or if we get
seedlings, it will take about 2 and a half years to start flowering. By the 4th year, we can get 8
spikes on average, which will be approximately Rs. 40 per spike. The first year, the return
will be Rs. 16 lakhs, and by the fifth year onwards, we can get Rs. 80 lakhs. The plant’s
value is also going up. The cost of the plant goes from Rs. 200 to 250. So, our investment in
the first year is Rs. 50 lakhs, but the value of the planting material is Rs. 50 lakhs, which
goes to show the high potential the plant has. This project also gets an NHB subsidy of
about 50%.
Optimal growing environment
The temperature should be 35 degrees maximum, but even up to 40 degrees, the plants can
tolerate it. In case of extreme heat, we need to give additional shade nets. The lux of the
sunlight should be about 25 to 30 thousand. In summer, we can use up to 50% shade net,
and during the rainy season, we can use 35%. Humidity above 60% is needed. We can grow
orchids in all the seashores, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry, and West Bengal,
apart from Kerala, Maharashtra, and the Konkan area. The plant needs more nitrogen. We
can give foliar fertilizer, 30:10:10, and NPK 20:20:20. This is a balanced fertilizer to be given
in the initial period. Once in a while, we can also give high-nitrogen fertilizer. At the time of
flower induction or initiation of spike, we can give high-phosphorus content fertiliser for one
or two weeks to initiate the flowers. Once the spike is initiated or after two or three sprays of
high phosphorus fertilizer, we can give high potash fertilizer, 13:27:27 or 6:12:36. The
fertilizer dosage will usually be two to three grams per litre to be given once a week. The
water quality should be good. EC should be less than 0.5. pH neutral or acidic pH is very
good between 5 to 6.5 or up to 7.
Orchid pest management
The major problem we face is snails and slugs. We need to be careful from day one as we
grow the plants in the soil. The wood and other organic material attract these insects. There
are a few chemicals available to kill or catch them. We know they are active at night, so once
in two weeks, the labourers go into the field with headlamps and catch them manually, which
is very tough. So, from day one, we need to be careful so that they don’t come into the field.
The flowers may be attacked by weevils that can be controlled with pesticides. Phytophthora
disease may attack the orchid, and this can be controlled by fungicides. The plants need a
lot of sunlight and air circulation so that diseases and pests don’t attack. We can plant about
20 k plants in one acre.
Optimizing flower production
The plant has a CAM metabolism with stomata and other things fully open during early
mornings. We can water the plants at that time. During the summer time, we may need to
water once in the evening also. At night, the media should be dry. We need to understand
the mokara orchids before we venture. There is no pruning in Mokara as it is a monopodial
orchid, growing a single stem from which flowers keep coming. When we go for area
expansion, we do not need to buy plants from others; we can take the top cuts that can be
used for area expansion. From the place where we get the top cut, a lot of side shoots will
come. We can also use them for area expansion. Investment is high in the first year, and
then onwards, we can get the planting material from the farm itself, and the investment goes
down drastically, increasing the profit. Flower harvesting is advisable in the early morning.
We can get flowers all through the year.
Freshness and longevity tips
Locally, people are using only water through tubes. We can insert the tubes into the bottom
of the spike to keep it fresh. People also use moist cotton at the bottom of the spike to keep
the flowers fresh. Chemicals are used in some countries to increase life expectancy. But
moist cotton is good as it can increase life drastically, and it will work out cheaply also. In the
first year, the length of the spike is shorter, and we may get three to four flowers. From the
second year onwards, the spike length is longer. We can start grading from the second year.
Onwards, and as the spike length is high, we can also increase the price. The price is based
on the input from the buyer. We can start grading, and it will be easy to understand the
process. We use pesticides and fungicides to reduce pests. We cannot avoid fertilisers
either. But in my field, I do not use any pesticide or fungicide, and we are almost 99%
organic. But around the globe, many countries use pesticides and fungicides for the orchids,
especially the dendrobiums. Optimum sunlight, humidity, and good wind flow are practices
that will reduce the diseases. Snail is the major insect that attacks the plants. We can use
the snail pellets to catch them. Weevils can be controlled using a chemical fungicide. There
are no certifications needed for Mokara orchids, as it is a new crop.
Mokara flower opportunities
Mokara orchids are mainly produced in Thailand, which has a huge domestic and export
demand. India is importing dendrobium varieties but not mokara, as Thailand is not able to
supply to the Indian market. There are not many mokara orchid flowers available in India. In
the domestic market, it is a new product and attractive. We can fix the price based on this.
Thailand sells these flowers at a very high price to other countries, like the Gulf. I don’t have
much idea about other flowers. But we can break even from the third year onwards. The
profit is about Rs. 20 lakhs per annum. By the end of the first year, the planting material
value, fixed asset value are about Rs. 50 lakhs. From the research point of view, we have to
identify the varieties suitable for each location. The selection of planting material is very
important. With the right decision on the variety, there will not be any problems further in
cultivation. Since this is unique, we can get the price we demand. The colour, size, shape,
and quality are unique, which will increase the demand and better rate. There is no
comparison with other flowers. Lots of varieties of mokara orchids give good yield, come
with attractive colours, demand, and fetch better prices.
Contact details
S. Ramakrishnan
Proprietor, Rynco Orchids, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Mob: 99465 57555
Email: ram@agropharma.com
M/s. Cryptox BioSolutions, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, explains about mokara
orchids, which are hybrid flowers valued for their bright colours and durability. They
are cultivated primarily for the cut flower market, offering good income for farmers.
Advances in cultivation techniques make production easier and more efficient. The
crop has growing potential in both domestic and global markets.
It was in 2016 that Orchid started gaining momentum in the Indian market. We started our
first farm in Thiruvananthapuram, and again in 2011, we expanded in Tamil Nadu, Thuckalay,
on seven acres. We also grow dendrobium, vanda, cattleya, phalaenopsis, and oncidium.
We are supplying cut flowers and potted flowers. India is witnessing a surge in orchid
cultivation and business. People are looking for new varieties of orchids, mostly in cities like
Bangalore, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Kerala is largely into orchid cultivation. Many growers and
importers are coming up in India. A similar trend was witnessed in Singapore, Thailand, and
Taiwan. India has just started, as the economy is growing, and people are looking for new
products. There are so many varieties in orchids, such as dendrobium, vanda, mokara,
oncidium, and phalaenopsis. In India, we are growing only dendrobium as a cut flower
product.
Oncidum has a huge scope, but no one has started it. Phalaenopsis has a huge market, but
the initial investment is too high and is in the initial stage. There are a few varieties of
mokara which have attractive colours, spikes in floral arrangements, and designs in the
petals and sepals. It is for this reason that this flower has a huge market in India. Each
variety has different colours and patterns. They have a long life span, love sunlight, and
grow well. While some varieties want 75% sunlight, there are a few that need 50 or 25%
sunlight. Vanda comes under the mokara orchid category; its flower is large compared with
the mokara and comes with attractive colours.
When we go for mokara cut flowers production, we need to take care of a few aspects
before starting the business—selection of planting material, the location where we will be
starting the project, and the climate. In Kerala, the rainfall is very high, so we have to give
preference to plants that are tolerant to rain. In places like Tamil Nadu, where the rainfall is
low, we have to ensure the right amount of humidity and select suitable planting material.
Each mokara orchid has its own cultivation techniques and tips, such as how to grow,
watering, fertilizing, etc, which are important. When we have our own land, we can supply
the plants to the nearby farmers and buy back the flowers to be supplied to the florist. This is
the method followed in Malaysia. It is easy to do. We need to analyse the flower marketing
network. In India, the market is improving in Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore as people
prefer to buy orchids, which are a premium flower and have a long life of up to 15 days.
Mostly, these flowers are produced by tissue culture techniques. As the plants are imported,
we do not give much importance to tissue culture and breeding, as for now.
Ensuring healthy flower production
The selected plants should be healthy, without any disease, and be regular bloomers. The
mokara plants have flowers in each leaf or in alternate leaves. We should ensure the plants
give regular blooms. We need to take into consideration the tolerance to rainfall. In Kerala,
the climate helps the plants to have long life and long spikes to be used for decoration. We
should also pick different color combinations, such as red, yellow, purple, blue, and white, as
the florists prefer a variety of colours for different flower arrangements. They should be easy
to pack, not get damaged. For the cultivation of mokara orchids, we need to use a 50%
shade net, and if possible, 2 layers of shade net, which will be very good. The more the
sunlight, the faster the growth and quality, which again depends on topography, location,
and sunlight intensity. The microclimate in the shade net will help plant growth. If the
humidity outside is low, due to the usage of shade net and sprinkler irrigation, the humidity
increases up to 60%. The location should have a minimum of 60% humidity, as in the inland.
Apart from climatic factors, we have to use good-quality fertilizer to grow good-quality
orchids, and we should have complete knowledge about pests and the management of
diseases. Mokara orchids do not get many pests, but weeds do come up, which can be
controlled by chemical protection. In places of high rainfall, we can observe some diseases,
but otherwise, it is very less. When we go for contract farming in orchid flowers, the demand
is high. The demand is very high, and the supply is less. So we can also increase the price.
When a florist gets flowers from us, he will start pushing us to negotiate prices, but we have
to be careful and keep the price on the higher side.
Growing mokara for profit
We can grow mokara orchids in two methods – one in the soil, and another in benches.
When we grow in the soil, the land should have a slight slope to prevent any water
stagnation and root rot. If the land absorbs water quickly, we can go for cultivation here too.
As media, we can use the soil, wood chips, and coconut fibre. We have to avoid wood
sheaths with lignin, which need to be avoided. Some people grow orchids in benches,
instead of trays; they use shade nets. When using benches, the cost of investment is high.
When we go for the business for the first time, it is better to take the help of a consultant as
the plant’s nature is different from other plants. It does not need soil media and can absorb
nutrients from the air. We have to understand the characteristics of orchids before starting
the business. This business needs a huge investment. For growing one acre, we have to
invest Rs. 75 lakhs at least, and we can break even by the second year, and from the third
year onwards, we can get a profit.
We can get offshoots as planting materials. Top cuts are very expensive. When the plan
grows straight, if we cut the top portion from the side, there will be a few more branches
coming up, which are called offshoots. They give flowers within one year. Or if we get
seedlings, it will take about 2 and a half years to start flowering. By the 4th year, we can get 8
spikes on average, which will be approximately Rs. 40 per spike. The first year, the return
will be Rs. 16 lakhs, and by the fifth year onwards, we can get Rs. 80 lakhs. The plant’s
value is also going up. The cost of the plant goes from Rs. 200 to 250. So, our investment in
the first year is Rs. 50 lakhs, but the value of the planting material is Rs. 50 lakhs, which
goes to show the high potential the plant has. This project also gets an NHB subsidy of
about 50%.
Optimal growing environment
The temperature should be 35 degrees maximum, but even up to 40 degrees, the plants can
tolerate it. In case of extreme heat, we need to give additional shade nets. The lux of the
sunlight should be about 25 to 30 thousand. In summer, we can use up to 50% shade net,
and during the rainy season, we can use 35%. Humidity above 60% is needed. We can grow
orchids in all the seashores, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry, and West Bengal,
apart from Kerala, Maharashtra, and the Konkan area. The plant needs more nitrogen. We
can give foliar fertilizer, 30:10:10, and NPK 20:20:20. This is a balanced fertilizer to be given
in the initial period. Once in a while, we can also give high-nitrogen fertilizer. At the time of
flower induction or initiation of spike, we can give high-phosphorus content fertiliser for one
or two weeks to initiate the flowers. Once the spike is initiated or after two or three sprays of
high phosphorus fertilizer, we can give high potash fertilizer, 13:27:27 or 6:12:36. The
fertilizer dosage will usually be two to three grams per litre to be given once a week. The
water quality should be good. EC should be less than 0.5. pH neutral or acidic pH is very
good between 5 to 6.5 or up to 7.
Orchid pest management
The major problem we face is snails and slugs. We need to be careful from day one as we
grow the plants in the soil. The wood and other organic material attract these insects. There
are a few chemicals available to kill or catch them. We know they are active at night, so once
in two weeks, the labourers go into the field with headlamps and catch them manually, which
is very tough. So, from day one, we need to be careful so that they don’t come into the field.
The flowers may be attacked by weevils that can be controlled with pesticides. Phytophthora
disease may attack the orchid, and this can be controlled by fungicides. The plants need a
lot of sunlight and air circulation so that diseases and pests don’t attack. We can plant about
20 k plants in one acre.
Optimizing flower production
The plant has a CAM metabolism with stomata and other things fully open during early
mornings. We can water the plants at that time. During the summer time, we may need to
water once in the evening also. At night, the media should be dry. We need to understand
the mokara orchids before we venture. There is no pruning in Mokara as it is a monopodial
orchid, growing a single stem from which flowers keep coming. When we go for area
expansion, we do not need to buy plants from others; we can take the top cuts that can be
used for area expansion. From the place where we get the top cut, a lot of side shoots will
come. We can also use them for area expansion. Investment is high in the first year, and
then onwards, we can get the planting material from the farm itself, and the investment goes
down drastically, increasing the profit. Flower harvesting is advisable in the early morning.
We can get flowers all through the year.
Freshness and longevity tips
Locally, people are using only water through tubes. We can insert the tubes into the bottom
of the spike to keep it fresh. People also use moist cotton at the bottom of the spike to keep
the flowers fresh. Chemicals are used in some countries to increase life expectancy. But
moist cotton is good as it can increase life drastically, and it will work out cheaply also. In the
first year, the length of the spike is shorter, and we may get three to four flowers. From the
second year onwards, the spike length is longer. We can start grading from the second year.
Onwards, and as the spike length is high, we can also increase the price. The price is based
on the input from the buyer. We can start grading, and it will be easy to understand the
process. We use pesticides and fungicides to reduce pests. We cannot avoid fertilisers
either. But in my field, I do not use any pesticide or fungicide, and we are almost 99%
organic. But around the globe, many countries use pesticides and fungicides for the orchids,
especially the dendrobiums. Optimum sunlight, humidity, and good wind flow are practices
that will reduce the diseases. Snail is the major insect that attacks the plants. We can use
the snail pellets to catch them. Weevils can be controlled using a chemical fungicide. There
are no certifications needed for Mokara orchids, as it is a new crop.
Mokara flower opportunities
Mokara orchids are mainly produced in Thailand, which has a huge domestic and export
demand. India is importing dendrobium varieties but not mokara, as Thailand is not able to
supply to the Indian market. There are not many mokara orchid flowers available in India. In
the domestic market, it is a new product and attractive. We can fix the price based on this.
Thailand sells these flowers at a very high price to other countries, like the Gulf. I don’t have
much idea about other flowers. But we can break even from the third year onwards. The
profit is about Rs. 20 lakhs per annum. By the end of the first year, the planting material
value, fixed asset value are about Rs. 50 lakhs. From the research point of view, we have to
identify the varieties suitable for each location. The selection of planting material is very
important. With the right decision on the variety, there will not be any problems further in
cultivation. Since this is unique, we can get the price we demand. The colour, size, shape,
and quality are unique, which will increase the demand and better rate. There is no
comparison with other flowers. Lots of varieties of mokara orchids give good yield, come
with attractive colours, demand, and fetch better prices.
Contact details
S. Ramakrishnan
Proprietor, Rynco Orchids, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Mob: 99465 57555
Email: ram@agropharma.com