Based in Dobrovnik in NE Slovenia, the company sold EUR 6.7m worth of orchids last year, slightly less than the year before, while raising net profit by EUR 56,000 to EUR 554,000.

Employing a workforce of 37, the company exports the flowers to 12 countries of central and SE Europe. Exports accounted for 68% of the revenue last year, a figure they plan to expand further this year.

They are also planning to drill a reinjection well for the geothermal water they use for growing orchids.

However, the company has told the STA the investment will depend on whether it is granted development funding from the Agriculture Ministry. The grant is to cover around 30% of the EUR 2m investment.

Currently, the company has the right to pump just under 190,000 cubic metres of water a year, which amounts to six litres per second.

The geothermal water drawn from the existing 1583-metre well is currently left on the surface, but with a planned reinjection well, the unpolluted water would be returned 2310 metres deep under the surface.

The reinjection of used geothermal water would also increase the amount of water the company is allowed to pump.

In 2016, the company paid the state over EUR 100,000 in concession fees and around EUR 30,000 for the water rights, bringing the total cost of its geothermal well to around EUR 200,000 annually.