StarBulletin.com

Orchid lei shortage may hit isles in days


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POSTED: Saturday, November 29, 2008

Hawaii may run out of orchid leis next week as a result of the political crisis in Thailand, which has shut down the international airport in Bangkok and crippled the import of flowers to the state.

“;I have one order looking for 1,000 leis for Monday, and I don't have flowers for it,”; said Michael Inouye, president of Hawaii Tropical Flower Council. “;There are a lot of last-minute parties and things. People are scrambling right now.”;

The siege of Thailand's international airport more than 6,500 miles away is simultaneously a boon to local orchid growers inundated by customers hustling to fill orders for the holiday season.

Besides local business, mainland clients that typically rely on cheaper imported orchid leis are now looking to Hawaii to make up for the complete dry up in imports from Thailand. However, local orchid production is on the decline going into the winter season.

“;It's overwhelming; we cannot fill the demand,”; said Eric Tanouye of Green Point Nurseries Inc. in Hilo, where orchid sales are estimated to have doubled over the past few days. “;We've been getting calls from our international, domestic and state markets from places like Guam, the Virgin Islands and from all over the U.S.”;

A representative of International Orchids Imports Inc. said the company no longer has flowers to supply its customers.

Fortunately, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend is typically slow for lei sales, but if the Thai airport shut down caused by anti-government protesters continues into next week, local suppliers say it could pose a significant crisis for the islands known for its exquisite flower leis.

The state is estimated to have imported $4.5 million worth of orchids from Thailand last year, while just $50,000 was imported from other countries, according to U.S. Customs statistics.

Watanabe Floral Inc. brought in enough orchids to last through the weekend, after learning the unrest in Thailand had accelerated.

“;It is definitely something we are concerned about,”; said Monty Pereira, Watanabe sales and marketing director, adding that suppliers have indicated that the earliest shipment of Thailand orchids could possibly arrive on Monday.

An estimated 90 percent of all loose orchids in Hawaii are imported from Thailand and on the wholesale level they are 30 percent to 40 percent cheaper than locally-grown orchids.

“;Now is a better time than any other time because there's really no extreme demand for orchid leis until the UH graduation in December,”; Pereira said. “;We've got three weeks before it will pose a problem. But if the airports don't open by Sunday, you're going to see some shortages.”;

On the bright side, the problem provides an opportunity for local suppliers and growers by opening a potentially new customer base, Tanouye said.

“;It gives us an opportunity to talk to a lot of customers and let them know who we are, advertise our Web sites, get collateral material out and promote Hawaii,”; he said. “;Definitely in promoting Hawaii at this point, we've got to take advantage of anything we have.”;