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First export-oriented floriculture project to start next year

By Razi Syed

KARACHI: The first of its kind technology based pilot project in floriculture will start commissioning in mid 2010, Pakistan Horticulture Development Export Board (PHDEB) said on Tuesday.

“The aim is to promote export oriented flowers industry for earning millions of dollars per annum by increasing export to UAE, Saudi Arabia and European Union beside others” chief executive officer PHDEB, Shamoon Sadiq said while talking to Daily Times.

Talking to official PHDEB, the Federal Minister for Commerce, Amin Fahim said “the PHDEB under the umbrella of Ministry of Commerce had initiated a number of steps to develop floriculture sector in the country.”

Sadiq said the project would be started on a large scale covering an estimated area of 1000 acres as per embarked by PHDEB and the cost rendered would be an estimated Rs 280 million in Punjab would start work on cut flowers and technology based floral culture. Not only this, but it would provide around 250-300 direct employments while thousands of indirect jobs.

He said after the release of funds by the mid of next year by the Planning Commission, PHDEB would achieve targets regarding promotion of flower industry by launching pilot projects in various cities of the country. The project includes model farm of 32 hectors consisting of green houses and pack houses, that project will be export oriented as role model for floriculture.

Pakistan has export potential in the global markets like UAE, Saudi Arabia and Russian Federation and European Union, he added. This is because in Pakistan majority of flowers are produced in winter while Europe yields low production in the same season due to snow. Since most of religious and traditional occasions are held in this period, it serves as an excellent opportunity for Pakistan to promote floriculture sector to fulfill the demand of European markets.

Meanwhile, the stakeholders of floriculture asked the government to fulfill their demand of setting up the Common Facility Centre (CFC) in Sindh and Punjab provinces.

The spokesman of Horticulture Society said according to PHDEB, CFC were to be set up over an area of 75 acres, equipped with the latest conservation agriculture technologies like drip irrigation as well as storage and refrigeration facilities to enable growers and exporters to remain competitive in international markets.

However, in order to compete with the world, we need to study the economic trends, such as shortage or over-supply of some flower species in particular seasons, as such factors result in changes in prices that may become too low to grow them economically, he said.

Pakistan, mostly a fresh flower market, is almost flooded with roses, a flower preferred in all types of ceremonies, as well as in perfume industry and in many Auravedic and Greek medicine preparations. Other flowers making a debut in the fresh flower business here include tuberose, tulip, lily, jasmine, gladioli and even orchid and other less popular and therefore, less important varieties.

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