This is a snippet from an article about Medellin cocaine from the BBC.
( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspon dent/5000468.stm)
Somehow I find it hard to believe that last sentence. Does anyone know
any stats?

Reka

Colombia's 'lost war' against cocaine


By Matt Frei
BBC News, Colombia

In a damp tropical night the plane from Miami judders through the clouds
on its approach to Medellin airport.

Suddenly strange translucent patches come into view. Dozens of them in
varying shapes and sizes dotted around the hilly landscape like giant
stranded jelly fish, illuminated from inside, pulsating and sinister.

It turns out these are greenhouses. Medellin clings to the hills at
1,700 metres and at night the temperature drops by 10 degrees.

So the precious plants are kept reassuringly warm with artificial
sunlight under plastic tarpaulins and close to the airport to allow for
speedy delivery abroad.

The nurtured content is after all one of Colombia's most lucrative
exports, sold for astonishing profits all over the world.

'A humble weed'

I'm talking about orchids. Yes, orchids! Colombia grows 450 different
species of these delicate, exotic flowers. Seventy percent of the
world's orchids come from here.

70% does seem "a bit" high...

--

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


"Reka" <rhukariNOWAY [at] rolmail.net> wrote in message
news:HcudnSYkroXume3ZnZ2dnUVZ8t2dnZ2d [at] kpnqwest.it...
> This is a snippet from an article about Medellin cocaine from the BBC.
> ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspon dent/5000468.stm)
> Somehow I find it hard to believe that last sentence. Does anyone know any
> stats?
>
> Reka
>
> Colombia's 'lost war' against cocaine
>
>
> By Matt Frei
> BBC News, Colombia
>
> In a damp tropical night the plane from Miami judders through the clouds
> on its approach to Medellin airport.
>
> Suddenly strange translucent patches come into view. Dozens of them in
> varying shapes and sizes dotted around the hilly landscape like giant
> stranded jelly fish, illuminated from inside, pulsating and sinister.
>
> It turns out these are greenhouses. Medellin clings to the hills at 1,700
> metres and at night the temperature drops by 10 degrees.
>
> So the precious plants are kept reassuringly warm with artificial sunlight
> under plastic tarpaulins and close to the airport to allow for speedy
> delivery abroad.
>
> The nurtured content is after all one of Colombia's most lucrative
> exports, sold for astonishing profits all over the world.
>
> 'A humble weed'
>
> I'm talking about orchids. Yes, orchids! Colombia grows 450 different
> species of these delicate, exotic flowers. Seventy percent of the world's
> orchids come from here.

"Reka" <rhukariNOWAY [at] rolmail.net> wrote in message
news:HcudnSYkroXume3ZnZ2dnUVZ8t2dnZ2d [at] kpnqwest.it...
<snip>
> I'm talking about orchids. Yes, orchids! Colombia grows 450 different
> species of these delicate, exotic flowers. Seventy percent of the world's
> orchids come from here.

I'm thinking that last sentence could be corrected to something like:

Seventy percent of Colombia's legal horticultural exports are orchids.

:-)

Joanna

That sounds more like it. As there are some 30,000+ species in the world,
70% = 21,000+ species in Columbia - I don't think so!

John


"J Fortuna" <joanna [at] REMOVEfortunabujard.com> wrote in message
news:5d_bg.5165$kR6.1452 [at] trnddc05...
>
> "Reka" <rhukariNOWAY [at] rolmail.net> wrote in message
> news:HcudnSYkroXume3ZnZ2dnUVZ8t2dnZ2d [at] kpnqwest.it...
> <snip>
>> I'm talking about orchids. Yes, orchids! Colombia grows 450 different
>> species of these delicate, exotic flowers. Seventy percent of the world's
>> orchids come from here.
>
> I'm thinking that last sentence could be corrected to something like:
>
> Seventy percent of Colombia's legal horticultural exports are orchids.
>
> :-)
>
> Joanna
>

I don't think recent numbers for Ecuador are around 4000 species, and
Colombia is in the same ballpark (the number of species for Colombia is a
little smaller now, but it will probably increase if the entire country ever
becomes safe for exploration.) It's more like 20% of the world's orchids.
-danny

"John Varigos" <jvarigos [at] usenet.mediclin.com.au> wrote in message
news:44707214$0$23794$a82e2bb9 [at] reader.athenanews.com...
> That sounds more like it. As there are some 30,000+ species in the world,
> 70% = 21,000+ species in Columbia - I don't think so!
>
> John
>
>
> "J Fortuna" <joanna [at] REMOVEfortunabujard.com> wrote in message
> news:5d_bg.5165$kR6.1452 [at] trnddc05...
>>
>> "Reka" <rhukariNOWAY [at] rolmail.net> wrote in message
>> news:HcudnSYkroXume3ZnZ2dnUVZ8t2dnZ2d [at] kpnqwest.it...
>> <snip>
>>> I'm talking about orchids. Yes, orchids! Colombia grows 450 different
>>> species of these delicate, exotic flowers. Seventy percent of the
>>> world's orchids come from here.
>>
>> I'm thinking that last sentence could be corrected to something like:
>>
>> Seventy percent of Colombia's legal horticultural exports are orchids.
>>
>> :-)
>>
>> Joanna
>>
>
>

John Varigos wrote:
> That sounds more like it. As there are some 30,000+ species in the world,
> 70% = 21,000+ species in Columbia - I don't think so!
>
> John
>
>
> "J Fortuna" <joanna [at] REMOVEfortunabujard.com> wrote in message
> news:5d_bg.5165$kR6.1452 [at] trnddc05...
>> "Reka" <rhukariNOWAY [at] rolmail.net> wrote in message
>> news:HcudnSYkroXume3ZnZ2dnUVZ8t2dnZ2d [at] kpnqwest.it...
>> <snip>
>>> I'm talking about orchids. Yes, orchids! Colombia grows 450 different
>>> species of these delicate, exotic flowers. Seventy percent of the world's
>>> orchids come from here.
>> I'm thinking that last sentence could be corrected to something like:
>>
>> Seventy percent of Colombia's legal horticultural exports are orchids.
>>
>> :-)
>>
>> Joanna
>>
>
>
I took it to mean 70% of the world's orchid production, and even at that
it is a bit much.

Reka

J Fortuna wrote:
> "Reka" <rhukariNOWAY [at] rolmail.net> wrote in message
> news:HcudnSYkroXume3ZnZ2dnUVZ8t2dnZ2d [at] kpnqwest.it...
> <snip>
>> I'm talking about orchids. Yes, orchids! Colombia grows 450 different
>> species of these delicate, exotic flowers. Seventy percent of the world's
>> orchids come from here.
>
> I'm thinking that last sentence could be corrected to something like:
>
> Seventy percent of Colombia's legal horticultural exports are orchids.
>
> :-)
>
> Joanna
>
>
And the other 30% is legalized coke?

Reka

Not sure why I have the word "don't" in there, guess I went back to edit
part of a sentence and accidentally left an extra word.
-danny

"danny" <foo [at] notbar.net> wrote in message
news:Hr_bg.54640$iB2.14965 [at] bignews4.bellsouth.net...
>I don't think recent numbers for Ecuador are around 4000 species, and
>Colombia is in the same ballpark (the number of species for Colombia is a
>little smaller now, but it will probably increase if the entire country
>ever becomes safe for exploration.) It's more like 20% of the world's
>orchids.
> -danny

"Don't" worry Danny, we knew what you meant.

John

"danny" <foo [at] notbar.net> wrote in message
news:hc9cg.78677$Jk3.53980 [at] bignews5.bellsouth.net...
> Not sure why I have the word "don't" in there, guess I went back to edit
> part of a sentence and accidentally left an extra word.
> -danny
>
> "danny" <foo [at] notbar.net> wrote in message
> news:Hr_bg.54640$iB2.14965 [at] bignews4.bellsouth.net...
>>I don't think recent numbers for Ecuador are around 4000 species, and
>>Colombia is in the same ballpark (the number of species for Colombia is a
>>little smaller now, but it will probably increase if the entire country
>>ever becomes safe for exploration.) It's more like 20% of the world's
>>orchids.
>> -danny
>
>

No, no, John, you meant, "Worry, danny, we knew what you meant!" ;-)

Reka

John Varigos wrote:
> "Don't" worry Danny, we knew what you meant.
>
> John
>
> "danny" <foo [at] notbar.net> wrote in message
> news:hc9cg.78677$Jk3.53980 [at] bignews5.bellsouth.net...
>> Not sure why I have the word "don't" in there, guess I went back to edit
>> part of a sentence and accidentally left an extra word.
>> -danny
>>
>> "danny" <foo [at] notbar.net> wrote in message
>> news:Hr_bg.54640$iB2.14965 [at] bignews4.bellsouth.net...
>>> I don't think recent numbers for Ecuador are around 4000 species, and
>>> Colombia is in the same ballpark (the number of species for Colombia is a
>>> little smaller now, but it will probably increase if the entire country
>>> ever becomes safe for exploration.) It's more like 20% of the world's
>>> orchids.
>>> -danny
>>
>
>

ROFL - very good Reka! Made my day!!!!

John

"Reka" <rhukariNOWAY [at] rolmail.net> wrote in message
news:gKKdnWv-5ZL_w-zZRVnyhQ [at] kpnqwest.it...
> No, no, John, you meant, "Worry, danny, we knew what you meant!" ;-)
>
> Reka
>
> John Varigos wrote:
>> "Don't" worry Danny, we knew what you meant.
>>
>> John
>>
>> "danny" <foo [at] notbar.net> wrote in message
>> news:hc9cg.78677$Jk3.53980 [at] bignews5.bellsouth.net...
>>> Not sure why I have the word "don't" in there, guess I went back to edit
>>> part of a sentence and accidentally left an extra word.
>>> -danny
>>>
>>> "danny" <foo [at] notbar.net> wrote in message
>>> news:Hr_bg.54640$iB2.14965 [at] bignews4.bellsouth.net...
>>>> I don't think recent numbers for Ecuador are around 4000 species, and
>>>> Colombia is in the same ballpark (the number of species for Colombia is
>>>> a little smaller now, but it will probably increase if the entire
>>>> country ever becomes safe for exploration.) It's more like 20% of the
>>>> world's orchids.
>>>> -danny
>>>
>>