With the country witnessing rise in temperature due to global warming, greenhouse cultivation is the only way out to save flowers and vegetables, according to experts.
“The day and night temperatures needed for flower cultivation are 28 degree and 18 degree Celsius respectively. However, the temperature in the most parts of the country is above the required temperature for flower cultivation even during the peak winter season”, experts said here at a workshop on Greenhouse Management.
The workshop was organized by the Flower Growers’ Association of Orissa in collaboration with the National Horticulture Board (NHB) of the Union Government. It was inaugurated by Satyabrata Sahu, revenue divisional commissioner, southern division.
The experts apprehended that global warming may impact flower cultivation and consequently affect the floriculture industry in the country.
In the wake of climate change, green house cultivation is the only way to protect the crops and get a greater yield compared to the normal conditions of cultivation, said Sanjay Parade, training coordinator and manager of the Pune-based Horticulture Training Centre (HTC).
HTC is imparting training to the farmers to promote and propagate the adoption of greenhouse technologies for higher productivity, he added.
“While over 1, 30,000 hectares are devoted to floriculture in the country, only 1100 hectares are under greenhouse cultivation. The farmers in several states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have already adopted the greenhouse technology but the farmers in Orissa are yet to start it”, he pointed out.
SC Panwar, senior assistant director, NHB said, his organization is providing 20 per cent subsidy for flower cultivation.
In Orissa, around 6,000 hectares were devoted to flower cultivation, informed Nirmal Nayak, activist of Flower Growers’ Association of Orissa.
Apart from greenhouse cultivation, the experts also stressed on cultivation of various export oriented flowers to fetch more profits.
Out of 6.55 lakh tonnes of flowers produced in the country every year, 80 per cent are Indian rose, whereas 10 percent are gerbera (an ornamental flower) and jasmine, informed Parade.
The other varieties include carnation, chrysanthemum, lilliums, and orchids, accounting for the balance 10 per cent of the flowers cultivated in the country.
Stating that the 15-year old floriculture industry in the country had a very bright future, Parade said several corporate houses have started floriculture.
Farmers in Orissa should adopt greenhouse cultivation keeping in view the huge market potential for floriculture.
He suggested that NHB should promote floriculture in a massive way in Kandhamal and Koraput districts of south Orissa, where the climatic conditions are suitable for floriculture.
