Well this is bold...

[Hien]

as promise,
this is an example of a selling session (dated 10/30/2018) in Vietnam, it will be boring to you.
But you get the juice of how orchids are selling over there .
I think all orchids over there are buying and selling freely (including from the forest) the only exception are the plants from very few "National Special Nature Preserve" is not permitted, everything else is normal business the way this lady in this youtube selling session mentioned whether where the plants coming from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCxMdytiRwI

You can jump to the minute to see what I will translating some prices here :
-minute 2:15 that whole group of 6 or 7 bunches is 300,000 VND=12.85 USD
so it is about 2.00 dollar a bunch
-minute 11:40 the stick of 10 groups of plants is 220,000 VND =9.42 USD
-minute 17:45 the group of 6 different species 320,000 VND=13.71 USD
that is going to be sold as a combo 6 together, so 1 plant is about 2 dollar
-minute 20:00 those monster chunks (15 to 18 plants on it) 800,000 VND=34.27 dollar about 5 kg of plants or 33 lbs of plants .

 

[Hien]

I am looking up how peoples propagate orchids in Vietnam,
I am surprise , frankly i actually shocked of how easily this kid propagates his dendrobiums in his own garden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTTwGePXcVI&t=326s

at minute 6:09 his said, oh I cut off a bulb with a pod by mistake.
then at minute 6:30 to 7:19 he points out all of the tiny plants result from the seeds he threw on the trunk of his longan tree.

How I wish I could throw some seeds on a tree trunk and get baby orchid plants

 

[Hien]

this actually a very nice orchid collection,
the person wearing glassy is the owner of this orchid garden, the dendrobium trantuanii is named after him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmnX59SiZTw

you can see how they raise orchid , what kind of environment , there is no greenhouse, no cooling or heating cost.

below is another orchid grower orchid collection, you can see they all grow pretty much as in nature, I don't think anyone can point out which one is from the forest and which one is propagate by the owner, he seems to have a green thumb. Most other collections look quite tattered compare to his. They were laughing in the video, saying well , my orchids are not in garden, they are in cage, because peoples stole so many.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Laex2WSXw5Q

 

[Hien]

ok, here are the minority highlanders' roadside stands in Vietnam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Xchep5t-I
they sell forest orchids.
it is not an illegal transaction in Vietnam, I can tell by the way everyone talk normally when they discuss about the plants, nothing hush hush in tone .
Watch the background , you see fruits, onions, bamboo shoots, corn, mushroom.
Orchid are just a merchandise just like any other products to them

 

[jlosaw]

I was just on holiday in Vietnam a couple of weeks ago. I did see many orchids in peoples gardens and many roadside vendors. Most of what I saw looked to be Dendrobium hybrids. Nothing had a tag in it obviously. There were a few roadside vendors selling bare root stock, but I didn’t see any that were paphs. Perhaps further afield they sell jungle collected things. Here is a pic of one roadside vendor that had Phalaenopsis and even Cattleyas. Prices were about what you would expect in Home Depot.

This guy was also selling fish. Hardly looks like a jungle robber to me.


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[xiphius]

as promise,
this is an example of a selling session (dated 10/30/2018) in Vietnam, it will be boring to you.

On the contrary, I find this quite interesting! Thanks for sharing (and translating!)

But you get the juice of how orchids are selling over there.

You can jump to the minute to see what I will translating some prices here :
-minute 2:15 that whole group of 6 or 7 bunches is 300,000 VND=12.85 USD
so it is about 2.00 dollar a bunch
-minute 11:40 the stick of 10 groups of plants is 220,000 VND =9.42 USD
-minute 17:45 the group of 6 different species 320,000 VND=13.71 USD
that is going to be sold as a combo 6 together, so 1 plant is about 2 dollar
-minute 20:00 those monster chunks (15 to 18 plants on it) 800,000 VND=34.27 dollar about 5 kg of plants or 33 lbs of plants .

This is crazy! It's a little sad to see so many species ripped from the wild without much thought for their continued survival. But then, life is hard, and $30 probably goes a lot further in Vietnam.

I am looking up how peoples propagate orchids in Vietnam,
I am surprise , frankly i actually shocked of how easily this kid propagates his dendrobiums in his own garden.

at minute 6:09 his said, oh I cut off a bulb with a pod by mistake.

then at minute 6:30 to 7:19 he points out all of the tiny plants result from the seeds he threw on the trunk of his longan tree.

you can see how they raise orchid , what kind of environment , there is no greenhouse, no cooling or heating cost.

below is another orchid grower orchid collection, you can see they all grow pretty much as in nature

It always helps when you are trying to raise things in basically the same habitat/climate they evolved in. There are some here in the US that have cypripediums blanketing their back yards and almost consider them a weed! In Florida, there are a fair number of non-native orchid species that have become naturalized because the climate is right and there is a suitable pollinator present. These regularly sprout as weeds in people's mulch/flower beds (Oeceoclades maculata for one...). My point being - if it thrives there naturally, it will probably thrive there if you try and cultivate it as well (or at least, you have a significant advantage).

it is not an illegal transaction in Vietnam, I can tell by the way everyone talk normally when they discuss about the plants, nothing hush hush in tone .
Watch the background , you see fruits, onions, bamboo shoots, corn, mushroom.
Orchid are just a merchandise just like any other products to them

Yeah, I know it is not illegal in Vietnam. In fact, I thought that Vietnam didn't recognize CITES at all? Or if they do, they don't really bother to enforce it - as evidenced by this (link) recent article.

I thought that this was the main reason why getting new species (specifically those from Vietnam) was so hard in America - because legitimate CITES papers are basically impossible to get...

 

[xiphius]

This guy was also selling fish. Hardly looks like a jungle robber to me.

Yes, you would be hard put to find those in the jungle!

Prices were about what you would expect in Home Depot.

I am actually surprised they would be that expensive over there. Maybe he was trying to take advantage of tourists?

 

[Hien]

Yes, you would be hard put to find those in the jungle!



I am actually surprised they would be that expensive over there. Maybe he was trying to take advantage of tourists?

your observation is astute, you would laugh at this story for sure.
My sister revisited Vietnam with her kids, they went to a museum , the kids ran into the museum after paying, my sister was behind , suddenly the guard tried to call the kids back, my sister asked him in vietnamese :
what is the problem sir ?
they have to pay more , he said
what? my sister asked with disbelief, why?
they are foreigners , he answered with confidence, I heard them talking in english, I am sure it is not vietnamese.
my sister : oh no, you heard wrong, they speak Vietnamese, and with that she waves her kid to go ahead (the truth is you would have a hard time get a correct spelling word of vietnamese out of them)
lesson learn, when your kids were born in the US, are American citizens, only able to speak English, you better keep them quiet when buying tickets so you don't have to pay ridiculous surcharge.

 

[Tom-DE]

@surcharge, that is ridiculous! I have been to over three dozens of countries.... occasionally I may get "robbed" by some restaurants(tourist traps), but I've never had to pay extra to visit any museum run by the government (if I remember it right).
Some countries may charge foreigners (for a visa)to enter the country, but that is mainly because we(U.S.) charge them too--they call that "reciprocity fee".......... Well, that is a different story.

 

[xiphius]

your observation is astute, you would laugh at this story for sure.
My sister revisited Vietnam with her kids, they went to a museum , the kids ran into the museum after paying, my sister was behind , suddenly the guard tried to call the kids back, my sister asked him in vietnamese :
what is the problem sir ?
they have to pay more , he said
what? my sister asked with disbelief, why?
they are foreigners , he answered with confidence, I heard them talking in english, I am sure it is not vietnamese.
my sister : oh no, you heard wrong, they speak Vietnamese, and with that she waves her kid to go ahead (the truth is you would have a hard time get a correct spelling word of vietnamese out of them)
lesson learn, when your kids were born in the US, are American citizens, only able to speak English, you better keep them quiet when buying tickets so you don't have to pay ridiculous surcharge.

That is hilarious! I guess it just goes to show you that companies/countries will squeeze tourists for all they're worth the world over. This has to be the most blatant example I've ever heard though. Usually it's a lot more subtle... :rollhappy:

 

[Linus_Cello]

I believe Hawaii has different prices for attractions based on locals vs tourists (eg waikiki aquarium).

 

[Tom-DE]

I believe Hawaii has different prices for attractions based on locals vs tourists (eg waikiki aquarium).

Now you mentioned it...I just remember one(could be more)of our beach parks(state parks) charges more parking fee for cars with out-of-state license plates. There is no charge(for all) if you just walk in.

Edit: I just looked it up. I "think" Waikiki Aquarium charges all adults the same price but they will give children, seniors and local tribe members/special program discounted prices.

 

[xiphius]

Yes, in Florida there were attractions that were priced differently for in/out of state visitors. What I meant by blatant is that I highly doubt they would chase you down and demand you go back and pay more simply for momentarily speaking in a different different language...

 

[StreetVariety]

Thats news to me, cites conficated plants go to a greenhouse, thats a good start, I was under the impression they were destroyed as an illegal contraband

The system always win.

 

[NYEric]

A lot of plants that CITES causes to be seized end up in a compost pile. The garden centers are not always proficient with orchids.

 

[NYEric]

Lol, well, if the men in black do come a knockin' I highly doubt it will be because of the posts here.

Do you really think this? Pretty naive.

 

[orchid527]

We had national forest staff monitoring our hiking club website to make sure we paid fees for any trips to the national forest. They told us during a meeting.

I would bet money that US Fish and Wildlife monitors this site.

Mike

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Here in Japan there is no surcharge - everything is expensive period, hence there's no point in asking for more :rollhappy: On the positive end, you always have a pretty good idea of what something will cost, nearly country-wide, which makes planning budgets easier. Also, service is usually exceptional and there are no extras to pay like tips. Still, travel gets expensive quickly in this country.

I like the way the museums in NYC do it - "suggested prices". I've seen my sister worm out of paying the full "suggestion" many times. You go girl!

 

[cnycharles]

We had national forest staff monitoring our hiking club website to make sure we paid fees for any trips to the national forest. They told us during a meeting.



I would bet money that US Fish and Wildlife monitors this site.



Mike

yes, why not? Low hanging fruit


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[tenman]

Thats news to me, cites conficated plants go to a greenhouse, thats a good start, I was under the impression they were destroyed as an illegal contraband

Confiscated plants go to designated 'rescue' centers, which are usually publicly owned botanical institutions. I volunteered at one, repotting orchids, for 15 years. 95% of the plants received were obvious hybrid dendrobiums and such. All of the confiscated plants were in terrible condition form the delays, and nearly all died. From discussions with others in similar locations I gather the results are similar, with most plants being hybrids (which, I remind you, are NOT subject to CITES) and the death rates for true collected species being nearly 100%, with a few notable exceptions and successes.

CITES has been the most destructive force for extinction of orchids in situ ever.