By IANS
New Delhi : India may well miss its target for floriculture exports by 2010 owing mainly to poor infrastructure, proper plant material, lack of production technology and unavailability of basic inputs, says a leading industry body.
Floriculture exports are likely to reach Rs.7 billion by 2010 end against the set target of Rs.10 billion, said a study conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).
Though the country has five agri-export zones in Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Maharashtra, which contributes about 75 percent of flower production, they have not been able to give a thrust to its exports.
“Besides, setting up of cold storage and cargo handling facilities at key airports such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi are still under active consideration of the government and prove to be inadequate to take floriculture exports in the desired direction,” Assocham president Venugopal N. Dhoot said in a statement Monday.
For India to achieve the target of Rs.10 billion exports by 2010, key issues such as economies of scale, product range, incorporation of latest varieties and quality control and certification, besides creation of effective cold chain management need to be addressed.
Items that have business as well as commercial potential such as cut flowers, dry flowers, seeds, potted plants and micro-propagated plantlets should be encouraged, the body recommended. It also suggested greater mobilisation of resources with the increased cooperation from financial institutions for the exporters.
The chamber has also suggested setting up of an export promotion council, establishment of appropriate marketing and distribution channels, abolition of import duty on inputs and reduction in existing airfreight tariff structure to promote exports in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and Japan.
In India, the floriculture industry comprises flower trade, production of nursery plants and potted plants, seed and bulb production, micro-propagation and extraction of essential oils.
“Though the annual domestic demand for the flowers is growing at a rate of over 25 percent and the international demand at around Rs.900 billion, India’s share in the international market of flowers is negligible,” Assocham highlighted.
“Enormous genetic diversity, varied agro climatic conditions and versatile human resources offer India a unique scope for judicious employment of existing resources and exploration of avenues yet untouched,” it added.
The per capita consumption of the flowers is the maximum in Norway ($146) followed by Switzerland ($126) and Germany ($88), though the maximum consumption of flowers is in the US ($12,500 million), Japan ($5,465 million) and Italy ($4,270 million).