Floriculture as career choice
Ranjan K Baruah *
Flowers are integral part of any celebration in our society. Whether religious celebration or parties and other events, flowers are being used all the time for decoration and for other purposes.
In our last edition we have published about horticulture and in this edition we are publishing another part of horticulture which is known as floriculture. Like flowers ornamental plants are associated with our civilisation since time immemorial.
We have seen that people manages their own gardens for domestic needs and flower gardening is also a hobby for many but we can make it in large scale for commercial purposes.
Floriculture is an important branch of horticulture, which deals with cut or loose flowers, ornamental plants, such as foliage plants, trees, shrubs, climbers, palms, bamboo, cacti and succulents, dried flowers, essential oils and landscape gardening.
The Floriculture Industry in India comprises flower production and trade of flowers, nursery and potted plants, seeds and bulbs, nursery, plant rental services, propagation through tissue culture and essential oils extraction.
The industry needs to be enhanced when it comes to North Easter region of the country. Though there are scopes but many things need to be done including motivating our young people to take up floriculture as their career choice.
Government of India has identified floriculture as a sunrise industry and accorded it 100% export oriented status.
Owing to steady increase in demand of flower floriculture has become one of the important Commercial trades in Agriculture. Hence commercial floriculture has emerged as hi-tech activity-taking place under controlled climatic conditions inside greenhouse.
Floriculture in India is being viewed as a high growth Industry. Commercial floriculture is becoming important from the export angle.
Few recommended plants which can give commercial benefits in the north east includes Cymbidium, Gladiolus, Lilium , Dendrobium / Vandas, Anthurium, Foliage Plants, etc .
Few states like Mizoram may focus on rose and other flowers too depend on the conditions. There are not many areas under flowers or ornamental plants in spite of having demand.
At the present situation when many young people have returned to their home state they may try and get engaged in these options and start new initiatives.
Students may chose to get admission ion agriculture universities ore courses and take up floriculture as their academic subjects. All those who wants to be entrepreneur and wants to start business may not study the subject but it os preferable to study the subject for more success.
ICAR DFR: ICAR-Directorate of Floricultural Research (DFR) as an Institute under Indian Council of Agricultural Research was formally launched on 10th December, 2009 during the XIX Group Meeting of All India Coordinated Research Project on Floriculture held at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi to promote and strengthen floricultural research and enhance the technological base in floriculture.
ICAR-DFR is first of its kind in the Country. Initially it was up in IARI campus on temporary basis. Set During 2014 February, the Directorate was shifted to its new location i.e. College of Agriculture Campus, Shivajinagar, Pune 411005.
Presently AICRP on Floriculture is an integral part of the DFR, having 21 Centres comprising of 15 Budgetary, four Institutional and two Voluntary centres.
As floriculture brings opportunity, many young people may get engaged in floriculture activities. It may include from plating to marketing and other activities. One may get information from APEDA and other agricultural institutes.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), is responsible for export promotion and development of floriculture in India.
* Ranjan K Baruah wrote this article for The Sangai Express
Ranjan K Baruah is a career mentor, skill trainer and motivational speaker and can be reached at at bkranjan(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This article was posted on June 19, 2020.
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