Oncidium grown in Taiwan has excellent quality and is one of the major export cut flowers to Japan, said the Council of Agriculture (COA). Some 25 million Oncidium were exported to Japan in 2011, accounting for some 90% of Japan imported Oncidium cut flowers. In order to maintain the Oncidium cut flower export boom, the Chinese Development Association of Oncidium Production and Marketing, in cooperation with its producers, industry groups and exporters, established the industry development reserve to handle production and marketing adjustment measures in harvest time. The COA will also establish a production and marketing forecasting system to assist the industry in grasping the situation of domestic and international production and marketing, so as to facilitate the development of both domestic and foreign markets.

Oncidium Industry Establishes First Flower Industry Development Reserve and Platform for Production and Marketing Communications

The Council noted that the Chinese Development Association of Oncidium Production and Marketing has established the first flower industry development reserve management system, which is jointly funded by the exporters, industry association and farmers based on the export quantity. In the future the government will invest marketing resources in accordance with the plan presented by the Association to assist the industry in expanding sales at home and abroad and handling production and marketing imbalance issues in harvest time, in order to stabilize Oncidium export quantity and quality as well as develop new markets. Meanwhile, the Association has invited eight major Oncidium cut flower exporters to form a marketing team to gather export market information for production and marketing reference, and build an effective communication platform to connect markets and producers.

Government to Assist Establishment of Production and Marketing Forecasting System to Coordinate Export Order

Agriculture and Food Agency of the COA will establish the Oncidium production forecasting mechanism to investigate the number of seedlings purchased by members of various packing and loading centers and weekly export and domestic sale quantities in order to estimate production and shipment quantity next month, and establish a platform for the production and marketing forecasting system as the evaluation indicators for activating production and marketing adjustment measures and for exporters and farmers as reference, said the COA.

To Stabilize Japanese Market Share while Opening up 2 ^nd and 3 ^rd Target Markets

In order to stabilize the Japanese market, the Council will continue assisting the Oncidium industry to take part in international flower shows and sponsoring exhibitions at wholesale markets and retailing distribution centers to teach buyers how to use Taiwan Oncidium cut flowers and publicize new varieties and colors of Taiwan Oncidium, hoping to expand its Japanese market share. Since Taiwan Oncidium is on the ECFA early harvest list and China lowered its import tariff rate to zero on January 1, 2012, the COA will actively assist the industry to expand its export to the Chinese market, while encouraging the industry to develop such emerging markets as Australia so as to disperse export risk.

Sponsoring Promotional Activities at Home to Encourage People to Use More Cut Flowers

The COA explained that to adjust the pressure on Oncidium in harvest time in May-June and September-October each year, it will sponsor domestic displays and take promotional measures, including Oncidium packaging DIY and flower arrangement teaching classes, through various flower arrangement associations and home economics classes of farmers’ associations and fishermen’s associations. These measures are aimed at encouraging local people to love, enjoy and buy flowers to increase domestic flower consumption. ( 2012-01-05)