The festival will open until May 1.
Stating at the opening ceremony, Mr. Liem said that implementing the municipal Party Committee’s action program on agriculture and rural development, the new rural development program and the agricultural structure change program; the city’s agricultural industry has maintained growth momentum averaging 5-6 percent a year, contributing in improving production value from VND158 million (US$6,783) a hectare in 2010 to VND502 million ($22,000) a hectare in 2018.
To obtain these results, the city has carried out many programs on staple plant and domestic animal development towards urban agriculture bringing high economic value.
They comprise flowers and ornamental plants. Of these, orchid is estimated to have large development potential with farming area increasing from 63 hectares in 2006 to 375 hectares in 2018. The supply output in the market reached 80 million sprigs and over five million pots of orchid worth VND850 billion ($36.49 million) accounting for 72 percent of the production value of flowers and ornamental plants in 2018. Orchid growers’ income averages VND1 billion ($43,000) a hectare a year.
Standing deputy chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem (L) visits the Orchid Festival (Photo: SGGP)
Standing deputy chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem and city officials visit the Orchid Festival (Photo: SGGP)
Standing deputy chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem (L) visits the Orchid Festival (Photo: SGGP)The Orchid Festival 2019 will be a place for relevant sides to meet, introduce and advertise orchid varieties and ornamental plant products, connect tourist development and urban agriculture.
The festival comprises a mini scene themed “Orchid forest in the center of the city” showcasing many orchid varieties such as moth orchid, Mokara orchid, Dendrobium orchid and others.
This year, the event gathers 110,000 flower pots and plants comprising 22,000 orchids, attended by 19 provinces and cities such as Binh Duong, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Dong Thap, An Giang and Dak Nong.
Aside from orchid, the festival showcases agricultural products of the city.
