Sweet smell of success in FLORICULTURE

With the domestic demand for flowers growing at 25 percent annually and offshore demand rising as fast, there’s a great need for qualified individuals in this high potential agri-industry

It could be roses all the way for youth who opt for careers in floriculture. Incrementally people — especially within India’s expanding middle class — are saying what they have to say with flowers on birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day etc. little wonder, the floriculture industry, one of the most highpotential sectors in Indian agriculture, is in full bloom.

Floriculture, the art and knowledge of growing flora or flowers, is no longer the preferred hobby of retirees; it’s a fast growing sunrise industry. With the domestic demand for flowers of all shapes and hues growing at 25 percent annually and offshore demand rising as fast, even the somnolent government of India has woken up and accorded the floriculture industry 100 percent export-oriented status to help develop the country into an international hub of flower production, auction, distribution, and retailing.

However, despite being blessed with a facilitating agro climatic profile, vast land resources, and availability of abundant labour and agricultural scientists, India’s share of global floriculture market is a negligible 0.6 percent. But with several brave entrepreneurs establishing exportoriented floriculture units under controlled climatic (i.e greenhouse) conditions, India is slowly but surely making an impact in the international floriculture market centred in the Netherlands.