This year's Taiwan International Orchid Show will begin its 10-day run tomorrow at the International Flora Exhibition Center in Houpi Township (
Taiwan Orchid Plantation, the organizer of the fifth annual show, said this year's exhibition is expected to draw more than 300,000 visitors, including more than 2,000 overseas buyers.
The Tainan County Government said orchids are one of the nation's major exports, accounting for more than 50 percent of the total value of Taiwanese flower exports. The Taiwan Orchid Plantation plays an important role in these exports, the county said.
Orchid growers from 24 countries are taking part in this year's exhibition, including the US, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines.
One part of the exhibition has been set aside to display landscape design using orchids. There will also be an orchid competition and a special area dedicated to newly developed rare orchid varieties. Visitors will also be able to buy orchids.
Meanwhile, the International Commercial Orchid Growers Organization will hold an International Orchid Symposium today to discuss orchid conservation, cultivation, biotechnology and its applications.
Taiwan is known as the "Kingdom of the Butterfly Orchid" because it is the world's largest exporter of the flower. About half the world's butterfly orchid varieties are grown in Taiwan.
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