Nepal is a country full of rich bio-diversity having thousands of species of flora and fauna blooming in the uphill of the Himalayas to the plain terrain. There are over 6500 species of trees, bushes and flowers found in Nepal. There are over 300 types of orchids alone in Nepal.
Having been so rich in floral wealth, Nepalese are slowly learning to harness the wealth of floriculture. Floriculture is no more a leisure pursuit now, as it has become a lucrative business with people’s changing lifestyle and growing demands for various occasions.
Till five years ago, Nepal was a net importer of many types of flowers and floriculture products but the scenario has significantly changed with the increase in domestic market and commercial production. According to Floriculture Association of Nepal (FAN), the volume of floriculture business in Nepal is growing at the rate of 10-15 percent a year.
The commercial floriculture has now been expanded to more than 34 districts with over 550 nurseries covering 80 hectare of land. Today, the sector employs more than 2500 people with more than 60 percent women employee.
The total annual sales volume of floriculture and related business has already crossed Rs 230 million from a mere Rs 50- 60 million a decade ago. Of the total business, export of floriculture and related products constitute more than Rs 32.6 million, which is growing rapidly for the last couple of years.
Nepal exported floral products worth Rs 32.63 million in 2005-06, registering a huge growth of about 100 percent against the export of Rs 16.52 million in 2004-05. Nepal had exported floral products worth Rs 11.20 million in 2003-04.
The sector has grown strength to strength over the years, as it has already fetched investment over Rs 375 million in infrastructure and planting materials. Although Nepal started exporting floral products just a few years back, its reach has gone up from India, to USA, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Australia, Taiwan, Italy, Germany and some of the Gulf countries. However, the exporting items are limited such as bulbs, tissue culture plants, cut flowers and ornamental plants.
The prospect of floriculture in Nepal is very bright. The rapidly growing number of nurseries and farmers changing their farmlands into commercial flower gardens are some of the evident factors.
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(The photographs of this photo feature were taken during the Floriculture Trade Fair 2007 at Brikutimandap, Exhibition Hall, Kathmandu )
Photos by: Binod Thapa
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