Kathmandu, April 6:

More than 342 species of indigenous flowering plants grow in Nepal, according to a survey made by Ministry of Forest and Land Conservation but the government has not taken any initiative to register the patents of these plants. The result is people from other countries come here and take away Nepal’s plants and register those under their own countries’ patents.

Floriculture Association of Nepal (FAN) president Shreedhar Karki said there are more than 342 species identified but as they are yet to be registered at the international level it is boosting patent theft.

“We recently heard one of our local plants known as Jamuney Mandro has got its patent registered by Japan. Actually, it is a rare plant grown in Kathmandu Valley,” said Karki.

“It is useless to identify our local species if we fail to protect their identity in our country.”

He added that if the authorised bodies were active for patent registration of plants available in our country, the floriculture business would have bloomed to phenomenal proportions. “The plants available in our forests can be used through tissue culture for higher production. This can increase the export of Nepal’s flowers,” said Karki.

Though the country is rich in bio-diversity the lack of government initiative forces FAN to import flowering and non-flowering plants from other countries.

“Huge quantities of flowering and non-flowering plants are imported from Kalimpong and Kolkata while more than Rs 1million are spent on buying mother-plants of certain flowers from abroad,” Karki said.

According to him, for festivals huge quantities of cut flowers are imported from India during winter seasons while mother-plants are imported mainly from Cambodia.

Investigation is still on about the number of species of flowering plants and no-flowering plants available at high altitudes, according to the Ministry of Forest and Land Conservation

“We need special package programmes such as priority for investments to encourage the floriculture business in Nepal,” said Karki.

Currently, there a number of nurseries involved in selling flowers that are imported from other countries but not those which are available in the country’s forests.

“Export of foreign plants cannot make us feel proud, at least not until we are able to sell our own floral products in the international market,” said Karki.

There are also a number of non-flowering plants which if recognized can be brought for business in the local market. According to Karki, about 75 per cent of plants both flowering and non- flowering plants are imported from foreign countries.

There are around 500 registered floriculturists under FAN but only 350 are participating actively. There are around 600 flower farms and nurseries in 35 districts.

Around 4000 people are directly involved in floriculture while the number of temporary workers getting employed during peak seasons is double that.