Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 14:

Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN) is organising ‘Floriculture Trade Expo 2061’ at Bhrikuti Mandap in Kathmandu from March 17–21 with the objective of encouraging people to take to commercial farming of flowers and promoting floriculture business as a whole. Agro Enterprises Centre, the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and Export Promotion Committee are co-organisers of the event. Organiser are of view that more than 25,000 people will visit the five day-long expo and transactions worth about Rs 2.5 million will be done.

At a press meet organised in the capital today, Minarwa Bista, president FAN informed that the expo will exhibit various seasonal and non-seasonal flowers in 50 stalls, including an exhibition of modern technologies being used in the floriculture sector. The expo will be a focal point for people engaged in floriculture business, Minarwa added. The floriculture business that started about a decade ago has now become a good source of income. People of Dhading, Chitwan, Kavre, Parsa, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Morang, Jhapa, Siraha, Kaski, Tanahun and many other districts have started commercial farming of flowers. “In the early 90s, in a city like Kathmandu only 100 roses and cut-flowers used to be sold per day, which has now grown to more than 6,000. Last year’s business worth about two billion rupees indicates that the market for floriculture is expanding every day,” she said.

People engaged in the floriculture business were of the view that Nepal has a favourable climate for growing various kinds of flowers and it could be a good source for earning foreign currency. Lack of knowledge and proper policies have been a constrain for the development of the sector, they said. Floricultural products of Nepal are exported to the United States, Japan, Australia, The Netherland and Norway.