Edwardsiana

[SydneyNeps]

Yes, you need to get permits. I know several botanists who work in Indonesia, including one who is a consultant to the Indonesian government. Permits to collect are not easy to obtain, it is much easier obtaining permits to enter into restricted areas just for viewing/photography etc. No permits will be given to collect edwardsiana seed. Many have tried to get them, nearly all have failed. The only reason MT succeeded was due to its links with the Indon. government. It is a pity as MT has not commercialised it, and appears to have no intention to do so given the abandonment of its Nepenthes programme.

 

[The Griffin]

They are abandoning, as in going to stop selling completely, or just not expanding the current selection?

Cheers,

Joe

 

[SydneyNeps]

They will continue with what they have, but there will be no new species released, as that sort of thing stopped with Chi'en Lee's departure. However, the quality of their Nepenthes programme has dropped noticeably, as their focus is now on aroids, gingers and palms.

 

[The Griffin]

I had noticed that. Guess there is good money in those, huh?

Cheers,

Joe

 

[SydneyNeps]

I'd say it's because there'd be a broader market for them, Neps are a niche market and very difficult to make money in.

 

[philcula]

Quote[/b] (SydneyNeps @ Mar. 25 2006,4:46)]Neps are a niche market and very difficult to make money in.

Unless you're Exotica Plants!

 

[srduggins]

I wonder how long they were in business and/or growing plants before they actually started making money, assuming they are actually making money. They seem to have quite a lot of mature stock plants to make those amazing crosses. Plus the time it takes to raise seedlings into saleable size plants, seems like a pretty long-term investment, before you can even start selling plants. And their prices seem very reasonable to me. I love what they are doing!

 

[SydneyNeps]

Exotica is a hybridist, not a species specialist. In fact, they have basically stopped dealing in species other than cuttings they take of stock plants, precisely because there's not enough money in it. Hybrids, on the other hand, cost nothing for them to obtain the seed, can be grown by the thousands for a few dollars each and sold for up to A$80 each, so the margins are huge. Those nurseries, particularly in Australia, that deal in species, do so with little or no profit. BE is profitable because it operates in a country that has cheap labour and has a huge propagation system, so it compensates for lower margins with volume, and Wistuba charges high prices for plants not long out of tissue culture. There are trade-offs involved in this business.