With floriculture exports touching Rs 400 crore last year, Indian flower growers are exploring international market opportunities to export marigolds, tuberoses and 'Birds of Paradise'.Hundreds of flower growers, various state horticulture boards and international floriculture trading agencies have gathered in Pune for the third international flower expo 'Florex India 07'. The three-day-long event inaugurated today at the College of Agriculture, Pune is organised by Western India Floriculture Association (WIFA), Agriculture and Processed Food Products Exprot Development Authority (APEDA) and the Government of Maharashtra.Speaking to reporters after inauguration, Navneesh Sharma, deputy GM, APEDA said: "The first ever consignment of marigolds has been shipped to the flower market in the Netherlands last week. Marigolds and tuberoses will attract heavy demands in near future from the international market. We want Indian flower growers to tap this opportunity as cultivation of both these varieties does not need huge investment".Marigolds and tuberoses are grown particularly in various parts of West Bengal, Tuticorin, Maharashtra and in certain regions in the south. "APEDA has set up marketing facilitation centre in the Netherlands and similar centres are coming up in Tokyo and Dubai. Indian flower growers can avail these facilities to export marigolds and tuberoses...We are working hard to export birds of paradise variety in near future," Sharma said.While flower cultivation happens on 1,17,000 hectares of land in India, flowers grown on only 500 hectares are exported."We are training farmers to grow flowers that meet international standards. While Bangalore has a ready flower auction centre, similar centres are coming up in Mumbai and Noida," he said.
