Flower business booms in country

The rising income of middle-class people along with rapid socioeconomic development helped boost flower and foliage business in the country.

The growing demand for flowers also helped the cultivators produce an all-time high of 3.2 billion pieces on a commercial basis in the last fiscal year (FY'18).

However, the sector insiders are expecting to earn Tk 5.0 billion from flower trading in the country this month, considered as the peak business season.

According to a study carried out by state-run Hortex Foundation, annual turnover of the country's flower and foliage industry increased to Tk 15 billion in FY'18 from about Tk 2.0 billion a decade back.

Managing director of the Foundation Md Manzurul Hannan said the sector was posting more than 15 per cent growth per year.

Both the domestic and international markets were expanding, he said. "We are encouraging the farmers in modern flower and foliage cultivation to tap external markets."

Horticulture Wing of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) data showed that flower production surpassed 3.2 billion pieces in FY'18 from 3.0 billion in FY'17 and 2.98 billion in FY'16.

Director of the Wing Md Matiar Rahman said 2,250 hectares of land were brought under flower cultivation in FY'16. The area increased to 2,280 hectares in FY'18.

He said acreage remained almost static but introduction of modern technology, supply of quality seeds, and setting up of some warehouses and cold storages have largely helped raise the flower production.

"The National Nursery Guideline 2008, initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture, gave a space of flower and ornamental plants."

The guideline specified flowers, ornamental plants as 'horticulture crops', he added.

Mr Rahman said flower and foliage farming expanded into Jashore, Jhenidah, Chuadanga, Magura, Rangpur, Bogura, Dhaka, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Cumilla, Narsingdi and Manikganj districts.

Currently, more than 20,000 farmers were engaged in cultivating flowers and 0.15 million people were totally dependent on this sector, according to the DAE.

Due to a notable rise in use, the number of flower shops in the capital and elsewhere in the country increased significantly in last one decade.

President of Bangladesh Flower Society (BFS) Abdur Rahim told the FE that there were a total of 4,500 flower shops in the country, including more than 800 in Dhaka.

He said people from upazila level used to go to the district headquarters to buy flowers. Now every upazila has two or three flower-cum-wedding product shops, he pointed out.

He said February is the peak season both for flower lovers and traders.

Pahela Falgun (spring festival), Ekushey February (International Mother Language Day), western events like Valentine's Day and month-long Ekushey Book Fair are observed this month.

Md Shaiful Islam, president of National Nursery Society of Bangladesh (NNSB), a platform of the country's nursery related associations, said they were expecting a transaction of Tk 5.0 billion this month.

Traders across the country got 1.4 million orders just on February 21 last year, he said, adding that orders might surpass that mark.

Visiting some flower shops in the city's Shahbagh and Agargaon areas, the FE correspondent found that traders were busy decorating their shops and assessing their requirements for flowers.

Md Jalal Hossain, proprietor of Shefali Phoolghar at Shahbagh area, told the FE that he had placed orders for special rose, gladiolas, hyacinth and lily on the occasion of Valentine's Day.

Farmers of Jashore and Jhenidah will also supply gerbera, small gerbera (daisy), calendula, crecenthimum, small marigold and others ahead of Pahela Falgun.

Marigold and tuberose would also be needed for Ekushey February, he said.

Mr Hossain informed the FE that their daily sales were worth Tk 20,000-Tk 25,000 during normal days.

"But we are expecting that sales may surpass Tk 0.25 million per day this month thanks to a favourable weather and stable political environment," he said.

Md Ohidul, proprietor of Phool Sajja at Shahbagh, said apart from the events like Pahela Falgun, they make good sale almost every day in the month of February due to the month-long Ekushey Book Fair.

Apart from visitors, he said, the publishers also put orders to decorate their bookstalls.

[email protected]