Foundation Day of Floricultural Directorate Celebrated....Beautiful and Aromatic Varieties of Flowers Exhibited

New Delhi, 10 December, 2010

‘Contribution of floriculture in farmers’ income is growing at much faster pace. There is a need to enhance basic research activities in floriculture to cater the huge market potential’, said Dr. Umesh Srivastva, Assistant Director General (Horticulture), Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He was addressing the Foundation Day Programme of Directorate of Floricultural Research (DFR), at Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Pusa campus, New Delhi. Floricultural scientists should work for collecting genetic resources, crop improvement and plant production, he added. Dr. T. Janakiram, Head, Floriculture and Landscaping, Indian Agricultural Research Institute emphasized on more research to strengthen floriculture sector in India. Dr. Ramesh Kumar, Director, DFR elaborated the role of DFR in floriculture sector.

India is the second largest grower of flowers after China. About 165500 ha of area are under floriculture producing 981100 MT of loose flowers and 49088 lakh numbers of cut flowers annually in 2008-09. Nearly 98.5 % of flowers are grown under open cultivation. During this period India exported floricultural products worth Rs. 368 crores.

An exhibition of beautiful and aromatic varieties was also arranged on the occasion.

(Source: NAIP Sub-Project of Mass Media Mobilization, DIPA)