Flower business growing 20 percent annually

Dependency of Nepal on imported flowers has decreased in recent years following sufficient domestic production. Entrepreneurs dealing in flowers say the business is growing at the rate of around 20 percent every year. “Floriculture business has immense potentiality in Nepal and recent years have witnessed positive growth in the industry,” Dilip Bade, general secretary of Floriculture Association of Nepal (FAN) says. Bade further says the industry will yet reach another success if measures regarding its growth are adopted on time. According to Bade, Nepal at present sustains around 80 percent of the demand of flowers and the rest has to be imported from India. Nepal basically imports marigold from India during Dashain-Tihar as its demand booms during the period. On the other hand, the demand of other major flowers like Chrysanthemum and Globe Amaranth is fulfilled by the domestic production itself, Bade says. The data provided by FAN shows that out of total transaction made in the previous Dashain-Tihar, flowers (cut flowers and ornamental flowers) worth Rs 7.5 million was imported from India. During the period, flower business recorded total transactions worth Rs 26 million. “The transaction was more than Rs 15 million in earlier years,” Bade said. Increasing domestic production has been gradually dragging down flower imports. FAN´s data shows that floriculture business is done in 120 hector of land across the country until the fiscal year 2012/13, 15 hectares more than 2011/12. Similarly, data also shows that land allocated for flower plantation was only 80 hectares during the fiscal year 2010/11. According to FAN, Nepal has to depend on India for 40 percent of the demand for ornamental flowers. Cut-flowers and ornamental flowers are the two types which are popular in the market. Gladiolus, rose, carnation, gerbera, orchid and marigold fall under the cut flower category, whereas ornamental flowers such as rubber plant, pine trees and cactus are used for decoration purpose. Data shows that there are, at present 635 retail shops (including that of cut-flowers, ornamental flowers and nurseries)spread across the country, of which 86 deal with cut-flowers, 400 deal with nurseries and the rest with ornamental flowers. Entrepreneurs say around 60 districts in the country hold the potential for flower farming. But currently only Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Dhading, Nuwakot, Chitwan and 15,000 visit Chrysanthemum Flower Competition and Fair The seventh Chrysanthemum Flower Competition and Fair, until the second day has witnessed as much as 15,000 visitors, organizers said. The three-day long event, under way at Jawlakhel, Lalitpur is being organized by Agribusiness Promotion and Marketing Development Directorate (APMDD) in association with the Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN). “We received 5,000 visitors on Friday. The number of visitors doubled on the second day,” Kumar Kasaju Shrestha, vice-president of FAN said. Moreover, Shrestha informed transactions worth Rs 1.5 million was carried out till Saturday. “The primary aim of organizing the event is to encourage competitive thought among floriculture entrepreneurs and enhance quality in domestic production,” Shrestha added. The fair, basically targeting the promotion of Chrysanthemum during Tihar also showcases flower types such as seasonal flowers, decorative plants, cut flowers and dry flowers, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, agricultural tools and packaging materials, among other things. The event concludes on Sunday.