A Sector with the Potential to Bloom

Context: Floriculture in India is a sector with the potential to bloom.

Floriculture in India

• Beginning:  Began in India in the early 1990s due to liberalisation of the seed policy in 1988.
• Growth of the sector:
  • Area under floral crops has expanded 4.4 times since 2001.
  • Production has risen 5.6 times. 
  • With an annual output of around 2.86 million tonnes, India became the world’s second-largest grower of flowers, next to China.
• Recognised as an export-oriented Industry: by the Government industry due to steadily swelling local demand.

Problems associated with floriculture in India

• Low share in the global floriculture trade: It stands at 0.4 %, despite India exporting to 130 countries.
  • At present, India’s floricultural exports are between Rs 450-600 crore a year. 
• Cultivation of loose flowers still dominates: which are not of export quality.
  • Flowers like Marigold, Jasmine, Rose, Chrysanthemum, Gaillardia, Crossandra, and a few others, account for over 98 % of production.
• Low acreage for floriculture cultivation: Estimated at around 313,000 hectares in 2018-19, constitutes less than 0.8 % of the cultivated land.
• Lack of market intelligence: In terms of global demand, supply, and price trend projections.
• Growing competition: From China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

Potential for India in floriculture

• High number of markets: India is currently exporting to 130 countries.
• Entry of the corporate sector in the post-economic liberalisation era: It facilitated the transformation of floral farming into hi-tech floriculture to produce export-quality cut flowers.
• Development of indigenous technologies: evolved by various research institutions of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and state agricultural universities.
• Climatic advantages to grow flowers.

Conclusion: India’s floriculture research network should work to make India technologically ahead of its competitors.