Date:29/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/05/29/stories/2006052903051500.htm

Back Blooming business

S. Mahinsha

A FARM WORKER in Thiruvananthapuram packs flower and foliage cuttings bound for florists in Chennai and Coimbatore. More than Rs 10 lakh worth of orchids and ornamental varieties of the banana plant family are exported from Kerala to Tamil Nadu every week. Exotic `Heliconia' varieties such as `Garden of Eden', `Sexy Pink' and `Torch Ginger' are cultivated in suburban farms in the district to meet the increasing demand from florists in metro cities such as Chennai.