You're right, Pat. In retrospect (it doesn't pay to respond before morning
coffee), I would speculate that I was off by a factor of two- to four in
terms of gross sales - maybe more.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"Pat Brennan" wrote in message
...
The orchid economy is broken. At Cosco four pansies in a six inch pot
(plastic "bowl of color") are currently $14.95, in a few months the same
shelf space will be selling six inch, two spiked Phals in terracotta pots
for $16.95.

There is a world wide glut of orchids due in part to a US ag survey which
reports highly inflated counts of orchids sold in the US. The AOS worked
to make orchids a line item on the survey. Now that orchids are a line
item, instead of trying to correct the numbers, the AOS runs around
claiming to be number 1 blooming house plant (or number two houseplant
second only to poinsettias) like a lot of third graders. I urge all
orchid grows to refuse to fill out the survey until the inflation problem
is corrected. Filling out that Jan survey is completely voluntary and I
have not fill it out for the past couple of years.

The US orchid growers have been sold out in exchange of apple interests at
the trade table. Boats are now arriving with mature Phals in pot for the
US market. Some of the Asian countries, with government subsidies can
produce blooming plants for just under $1. I must charge almost a dollar
on each plant I sell just to cover my insurance bills. Instead of
addressing the problem, the IPA publishes unquestioned articles by
government ag employees stating how the boats full of plants will be a
good thing for the US growers. I have let my IPA membership expire. A
Hawaiian growers group tried to fight the new rules and were plowed under
in court. Maybe it will be different in the EU, I do not think the Dutch
will roll over so easy, unless of course they plan to move there growing
overseas.

Ray's post that claims a 33% profit in orchid sales is just silly. I know
more full time growers locking their doors this year than in any other
year of the two decades I have been in this business. The orchid world is
changing and I think there is going to be little room for anyone except
the very big growers/importers selling directly to the box stores and the
hobby vendor who hopes to subsidize their hobby and get a few free plants.
Keith, right now is not the time to quit the day job. Try being a hobby
vendor and maybe you can find a nitch which allows you to move to full
time. But remember Morrison's now has a 5 pound phal that you will need
to compete with.

How am I doing? Check out my eBay store
http://stores.ebay.com/Brennans-Orchids-LLC and you will see. Auctions
close on Sunday, but a whole new set will be up by Tuesday. I am
thinking of adding pansies to next years line.

Pat





"Keith Kent" wrote in message
...
I know there are some growers/sellers here ,those of you that have turned
your hobby into a bussinnes i have a personel Q! Do you make enough
money(profit after running costs) from selling orchids for it to be the
only income? I know this is a broad Q as it depends what income the
individual requires to live to the standard they are happy with. I am
asking this Q as i am hopefully embarking into the selling side,initially
hopefully to cover the heating costs.But my dream would be to be able to
pack my job in and have a fully up and running orchid nursury that is my
nursury/full time job.
I would need £20,000 min wages after tax etc a year to be able to fully
live from it.
But i have no idea what orchid nursuries turn over as obviously this sort
of info isnt normally disclosed.I suspect things are quite tight
financially,but if this is true how are bussineses able to keep running?I
am basing this on the UK ,were i live i feel there is a market here as
there isnt a lot of growers in the UK so choice is very limited .I know
that in other countries like USA choice isnt a problem?
Thanks for any input
Cheers Keith