Continued.... Dan, I may be off-target here (in which case I apologise), but I'd guess that your good friend's cousin in Vietnam has a business plan that goes like this:
a) Go out into the countryside and pay the locals peanuts to rip showy wild orchids from their natural habitat. b) ship the wild-orchids to the USA. Forge any export documents that are required, or acquire them by bribery or other corrupt practices. c) Sell them for big money (by Viet standards) and split the profits with my cousin/friends in USA. d) since the biggest money can be made from highly-endangered Paphiopedilum species that are highly sought-after in the USA, make a special effort to target the few remaining specimens of these species, thus maximizing the profit. e) Get rich quick. Dan, do you really want to encourage this ? I suggest that you contact your good friend's cousin in Vietnam and tell him to alter his business plan to something that does not involve illegally exploiting his country's natural resources, and does not involve obtaining export permits by fraudulent methods. If he is really keen on orchids, encourage him to set up a farm in the Highlands of Central Vietnam, and grow quality hybrid Cymbidiums for the cut-flower trade. The climate is really good, and the expansion of the Vietnamese economy will result in a steadily increasing demand for prime flowers inside Vietnam. He can make good money at home without risking his neck in overseas ventures, and those highly-endangered Paphs will get a reprieve. Peter O'Byrne in Singapore _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
