Farmers encouraged to embrace Floriculture for Higher Farm Income

There is a need to make greater use of Himachal Pradesh’s favourable agro-climatic conditions for cultivating a wider range of floriculture crops to help farmers diversify their farming systems and enhance their income, said Prof HS Baweja, Vice Chancellor, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni.
The Vice Chancellor was addressing farmers from Solan and Sirmaur during a one-day training programme on ‘Cut and Potted Flowers’ organised by the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, UHF Nauni, under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)–Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP). Around 51 farmers from Nauni, Shamrod, Daro Devria and Kotla Panjola panchayats participated in the programme.
Prof Baweja highlighted the potential of floriculture as a source of self-employment, income generation and export opportunities. He encouraged farmers from nearby panchayats to utilise the technical expertise available at the University for establishing commercial floriculture ventures and creating livelihood opportunities for rural youth. He also stressed the importance of adopting improved production technologies and scientifically recommended practices to make floriculture economically viable.
Dr Manish Sharma, Dean, College of Horticulture, emphasised the importance of diversification in horticulture and encouraged farmers to explore high-value flower crops suited to the region. He said that floriculture offers opportunities for farmers to move towards high-value and market-oriented production, while also creating scope for entrepreneurship and employment.
Earlier, Dr BS Dilta, Professor and Head, Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, highlighted the Department’s efforts in promoting floriculture among farmers and providing them with technical support for taking up commercial cultivation. He said that the University could support farmers with technical know-how, suitable planting material, growing media and guidance on improved production practices for floriculture and other horticultural crops. Dr Bharti Kashyap welcomed the participants and gave details about the project.
Scientists from the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture imparted technical knowledge to the farmers on various aspects of cut, loose and potted flower production. During the training, farmers were apprised of the production technologies and commercial potential of important cut flowers, including chrysanthemum, rose, bird of paradise, lilium, hydrangea, gladiolus and orchids, as well as loose flowers such as marigold. The participants were also informed about different types of potted plants, growing media and their management, along with the use of flowering plants and ornamentals in landscaping homes, institutions and public spaces.
The scientists addressed queries raised by farmers regarding planting material and growing media, production practices, marketing and market opportunities for flowers and ornamental plants.
The programme was attended by Baldev Thakur, President, Akhil Bharatiya Panchayat Parishad, Himachal Pradesh; Ram Gopal, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Shamrod; Neema Devi, Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Kotla Panjola along with senior University scientists and staff.