The Indian Orchid Festival 2026, organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's National Research Centre for Orchids (ICAR‑NRCO) at Pakyong district in Sikkim, concluded on Tuesday after four days of displays, technical sessions and inter‑state participation. The event, held under the theme “Orchids for Beauty & Prosperity”, brought together orchid growers, entrepreneurs and industry stakeholders for exchanges on cultivation, marketing and collaboration.
Officials, experts and businesses take part
Puran Gurung, Minister for the Agriculture & Horticulture Department, Government of Sikkim, attended the closing function as the chief guest and expressed support for promoting floriculture as a livelihood. Dr SP Das, Director of ICAR‑NRCO, Pakyong, said this edition of the Indian Orchid Festival was organised "with grandeur" and included participation from recognised nurseries, tissue‑culture companies and marketing firms seeking interaction with growers.
According to the organisers, technical experts conducted sessions over the four days to share practical knowledge aimed at benefitting local and visiting growers. The programme was described as a platform for exchanging ideas on growing techniques, post‑harvest handling and market linkages.
“Orchids are for Beauty & Prosperity,”
The remark was emphasised by Dr N.P. Singh, former Director of the National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Baramati, who said the festival had lifted the morale of orchid growers and should serve as an inspiration going forward.
Minister signals expansion across the North‑East
Mr Gurung welcomed the second edition of the Indian Orchids Show organised by ICAR‑NRCO at Pakyong and pledged to collaborate with state governments to hold similar events at the North‑East India level in coming days. He reminded participants that the floriculture, horticulture and agriculture sectors offered access to world markets and urged interested people to consider them as professions.
The minister also urged growers to pursue national demand for crops he cited — Red Chelli, avocado and ginger — as areas where Sikkim could expand production and improve market presence.
Participation and activities
Organisers said the festival saw involvement from a range of stakeholders. Key participant categories and activities at the show included:
- Growers and entrepreneurs from several states sharing cultivation experience and networking.
- Renowned nurseries and tissue‑culture companies demonstrating propagation techniques and supply opportunities.
- Marketing firms engaging with growers to explore value‑chain linkages and market access.
- Technical sessions by experts focusing on practical advice for cultivation and post‑harvest management.
| Item | Role at Festival |
|---|---|
| ICAR‑NRCO, Pakyong | Organiser and technical lead |
| State Agriculture & Horticulture Department | Support, policy guidance and representation |
| Nurseries & tissue culture firms | Exhibitors and technical collaborators |
Local impact and prospects
For Sikkim, where horticulture and floriculture are important livelihood and diversification options, the festival served both as a showcase and as a practical learning forum. The participation of marketing companies and tissue‑culture units may help growers access better planting material and improved market channels, organisers said.
Experts and officials at the event emphasised that orchids can generate aesthetic and economic value, but scaling production to meet larger markets requires improved propagation methods, cold‑chain logistics and better linkages with buyers. The presence of companies focused on tissue culture was noted by ICAR‑NRCO as particularly relevant for supplying disease‑free planting material at scale.
Next steps
Organisers and the minister indicated plans to widen the scale of such exhibitions to the North‑East, in collaboration with other state governments, without providing specific dates. The festival's organisers said they would continue technical outreach aimed at uplifting growers, while stakeholders at the event discussed pathways for enhanced marketing and collaboration.
The Indian Orchid Festival 2026 at Pakyong marks the second edition organised by ICAR‑NRCO at the site and concludes with a renewed emphasis from state authorities on using horticulture and floriculture to expand farmers' incomes and connect producers to national and international markets.
