Dr BD Mishra, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, visited the Orchid Research Centre at Tipi in the West Kameng district of the state on Thursday. It has units like orchid glass house, species house, orchid museum, tissue culture laboratory and an orchid herbarium.
He discussed the issues related to techniques of orchid farming and on how to help the local farmers and tribals to take to commercial orchid growing.
The orchidorium at Tippi is managed by the Department of Environment and Forest of the state along with the Orchid Research and Development Station for conservation of the local species.
This centre’s laboratory produces orchid seed and tissue culture for orchid growing. Two orchid conservation sanctuaries have been established at Sessa and Dirang in West Kameng district. Rhynchostylis Retusa orchid is the state flower of Arunachal Pradesh.
Efforts are being made for orchid cultivation as a cottage industry in the state. Also, orchids are an endangered plant group, therefore, their trade is regulated under the Convention of International Trade for Endangered Species.