Floriculture comes into bloom in Goa

by GLENN COSTA
Posted on 2009-01-30
PANAJI- Though still in its infancy, floriculture in the state has taken off with flowers like gerberas and orchids thriving in the Goan climate led by a few entrepreneurs.
“Goa has the best climate for orchids and anthuriums, but they need controlled conditions and a good source of water,” says the deputy director of agriculture, Mr Olavo Fernandes and adds, “Money-wise this is the best crop for Goa.”
A successful floriculturist, Mr Rosario De Silva from Sinquetim, Navelim. who has been in this field for the past five years and probably the state’s first commercial exotic floriculturist, grows his gerberas in his 440 sq mts polyhouse.
“I started growing gerberas as they flower throughout the year,” he says explaining his choice.
But he stresses that it is important to find a market for your produce.
“Within one year you can recover if you have a market,” he says confirming the profitability, but again cautions that you need a “market”.
He says the main problem is faced during the Lent season when the flowers produce is maximum but the sale is the least. “There are no Catholic weddings and this coincides with exams etc. So sale is very less, he says and adds that they try to cut down on fertilisers and produce.
The total flower requirement of the state is around Rs 3 lakh per day and the state produces only 2 per cent of the total requirement indicating that that there is a lot of scope for this type of agro business. And this is only the local demand.
Throughout the country too floriculture is a fast emerging sector and is now branded an industry, both for domestic demand as well as export market. Floriculture has emerged attractive in view of high returns per unit area. According to sources, the country’s export of floriculture has increased from Rs 299.41 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 649.83 crore in 2006-07 and is growing.
Mr Fernandes says that each 100 metre shed, would cost around Rs 1.75 lakh to set up and if you use ‘pads’ the cost would go up to Rs 2.25 lakh and stresses that a shed should be at least 100 sq mts for it to be commercially viable.
The state also finances till 65 per cent of the total subsidy amounting to Rs 20 to 325 per sq mt.
According to the agriculture department, government schemes on a big scale began 3-4 years back and flowers like gerbera, orchids, anthurium and lily as well as local flowers like Jasmine, abolim, tuberose etc are grown in Ponda, Canacona and Moira.
“For exotic flowers initial cost is very high so the government also gives financial help,” says Mr Fernandes.
Mr De Sliva confirms this and says that when he initially started there were very little subsidies, but now they have been increased.
He says that they use foggers to spray water and decrease the heat, especially during the months of April and May when the temperatures can rise above 35 degrees.
“Watering is being done by drip irrigation and humidity of 75 per cent is needed, Mr De Silva informs.
The lowest yield is during the monsoons, the Navelim floriculturist says, explaining that this is because of less sunlight.
However, he points out that you cannot get good quality roses in the state when you compare them to roses from Bangalore.
A few years back the land under floriculture was at least 1,26,000 ha production of flowers estimated to be 6,94,000 tonnes of loose flowers and 2762 million (numbers) of cut flowers.
These include traditional flowers such as marigold, jasmine, aster, rose, chrysanthemum, tuberose and modern flowers like carnation, rose, gerbera, gladiolus, anthurium.