Date:10/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/10/stories/2008021059200600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Six million Indian roses for Europe

S. Vydhianathan

Three million cut roses will be exported by Tanflora and the remaining by private exporters

With Valentine’s Day approaching, demand for roses has shot up.

CHENNAI: About six million stems of cut roses are being exported from Hosur to the U.S., Germany, the U.K., The Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Middle East and Far East countries for this year’s Valentine’s Day.

Of this, three million cut roses will be exported by Tanflora and the remaining by private exporters. About 90 per cent of the roses are red. The export, which began on February 2, will go up to February 12.

The demand for Indian roses on Valentine’s Day in European markets has trebled compared to last year. Tanflora had also entered into marketing arrangements with European countries for 70 million cut roses. It is also planning to export 30,000 readymade bouquets a day to major supermarkets in Japan, Russia, and Europe.

Joint venture

According to managing director Najeeb Ahmed, Tanflora, a joint venture between the Tamilnadu Industrial Development Corporation and private promoters, is the first agri export zone for cut roses in the State. Its floriculture infrastructure park is at Amudhagondapalli near Hosur.

On an average, farmers could obtain a yield of 20 lakh flowers from a hectare. For export, the flowers had to be pruned. Though this would reduce yield significantly, it would fetch a much higher price. Tanflora is also planning to enter into nursery business with an annual production of one million plants per year for export and domestic market. It has entered into long term agreements with some of the world’s leading breeders. It has patented an exclusive dark variety of red roses called Taj Mahal and planned to export five million stems of the variety in the next two years, he said.

Expansion plans

Surjit K.Chaudhary, Agriculture Production Commissioner, told The Hindu that the State government had plans to expand rose cultivation in Coimbatore district, under the National Horticulture Mission.

The government had promoted about two lakh square metres of poly green houses in Nilgiris district for cultivating Coronation and Gerbera flowers mainly to cater to the domestic market. It has also created electronic marketing facilities and handed it over to the Flower Growers’ Association, Nilgiris.