Money
Flower expo concludes with Rs7.1m in revenue
The four-day International Flora Expo 2017 concluded in Kathmandu on Sunday, grossing over Rs7.1 million in business transactions.The four-day International Flora Expo 2017 concluded in Kathmandu on Sunday, grossing over Rs7.1 million in business transactions.
The third edition of the expo organised by the Floriculture Association of Nepal (Fan) in association with the Ministry of Agricultural Development was attended by over 66,000 visitors.
“The turnout and turnover were as per our expectation,” Fan President Kumar Kasaju Shrestha said. “We are happy the expo provided a platform to promote floriculture business in the country.”
Unlike in the previous years, the floriculture expo this year saw bigger number of buyers of flowers, plants and orchids, JB Tamang, programme coordinator at the Fan, said.
The expo held at Bhrikutimandap showcased seasonal flowers, decorative plants, dry flowers, orchids, compost manure, greenhouse infrastructure, agricultural tools and equipment, packing materials and irrigation technology.
The expo was mainly targeted at flower enthusiasts, those passionate about gardening and those intending to enter into floriculture business.
One of the highlights of the expo organised with the theme ‘Floriculture Business for Peace, Prosperity and Hygienic Environment’ was competition in 10 categories ranging from best seasonal flower and best decorative plant to best flowering plants, best stall and best cut flower.
Entrepreneurs from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China and South Korea engaged in floriculture business also took part in the expo, which kicked off on Thursday.
The expo saw business transaction of Rs916,000 on the first day, Rs1.6 million on the second day, Rs2.6 million on the third day and Rs2 million on the last day.
Seasonal flowers valued at Rs250 million are sold annually in the country. Likewise, sales of decorative plants and cut flowers amount to Rs461 million and Rs247 million annually, respectively, the Fan said.
The flower trade has an annual turnover of Rs1.5 billion. Imports account for 20 percent of the total business.According to Fan, demand for flowers has been increasing at the rate of 12 to 15 percent per year. Sales mainly go up during wedding seasons and the Tihar festival.
Currently, there are 675 commercial nurseries in 39 districts of the country. The Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Narayanghat, Hetauda, Kavrepalanchok, Biratnagar, Dharan and Dhangadhi are the key producers of flowers. Flowers are grown on 148 hectares, and more than 41,000 people are employed directly and indirectly in the sector.The Fan has set a target of making Nepal self-sustainable in flower production in the next 10 years.