Affordable plants can be a good option for Valentine's DayExuberance in colors, shapes and styles mark the exhibition, at Ibituruna Center Shopping (photos Associates and friends SONM/disclosure)Considered a national passion, orchids draw attention for their exuberance and variety, many of them quite exotic.This week, Montes Claros is the stage for the 20th Annual Orchids Exhibition, an event that celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Norte-Mineira Orquidófila Society (SONM).In addition, it presents itself as a good option for buying a gift for Valentine's Day.The exhibition takes place from Friday to Sunday, at Ibituruna Center Shopping, with free admission, from 10 am.Valentine's Day represents 8% of the sector's annual revenue, equivalent to sales related to Women's Day.The Brazilian Institute of Floriculture (Ibraflor) estimates that sector sales should grow between 10% and 15% during Valentine's week.“After two years without being able to hold the annual orchid exhibition, due to restrictions and decrees imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, we are back to holding the orchid exhibition in the city”, says Antônio Carlos Mangerona, president of SONM.According to him, the fair will bring together local, regional and other Brazilian states.The expectation is that the public will be around 5 thousand visitors in the three days of exhibition.MORE OPTIONS Three nurseries and a cactus and succulent grower will also exhibit and sell more than 2,000 plants at the event.“Some 500 plants will be on display at the exhibition and more than 2,000 for sale”, explains Fábio Campos Borborema, vice president of Sociedade Orquidófila Norte-Mineira.He points out that the orchid nurseries that will be at the exhibition, in addition to selling the plants, will clear up all doubts about orchids”.In Brazil alone, according to Ibraflor, there are more than 25 thousand points of sale and approximately 30 thousand known species of orchids.“The focus of the exhibition is not just marketing, but showing the plants and the quality of each associate's cultivation”, explains Fábio.“It serves to show how much we have improved the quality of the plants in these 20 years, in addition to wanting to awaken a passion for these plants in each person who visits the exhibition”, he says.ASSOCIATION The Sociedade Orquidófila Norte-Mineira (SONM) was actually born, according to Fábio, more than 20 years ago, through the union of a group of friends passionate about orchids.“The interest was the same.We ended up founding a society, which was the way we found to hold exhibitions and to bring new knowledge to this area of ​​orchidophilia”, he says.“In the beginning, we were ten associates.Today we are 50”.From R$ 15 to R$ 400 Orchidophile is currently based on a whole process of perfection, says Fábio Campos Borborema, vice president of Sociedade Orquidófila Norte-Mineira.According to him, nowadays there is no longer a valuable orchid.“But we will have several unique plants, with superior quality, very interesting plants”, he adds.Prices at the exhibition will vary from R$15 to R$400. “We chose these prices to demystify the fact that people think that those who have orchids paid dearly for them.No!Today, from R$15, you can start an orchid collection”, he says.This marketing with more affordable prices will also serve to sensitize people to conserve orchids in their natural habitat.“In the North of Minas alone, there are 35 native species of orchids.And people don't need to take any of them out of the forest, because it can die.With this affordable price, just buy it and it will help to preserve nature”, he guides.