Question : Flower Production

(a) whether the Government has identified the floriculture sector as a sunrise industry and accorded it hundred per cent export oriented status, if so, the details thereof, the total area of land being used for flower production in various States of the country and the details of the production of flowers during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether it is a fact that India''s share in global floriculture trade is quite low despite huge demand for flowers abroad if so, the details of the foreign exchange earned from the export of flowers during each of the last three years and the current year;

(c) the details of the measures taken by the Government to encourage floriculture in the country especially for providing technological and financial support to flower growers as well as for the development of the related infrastructure and cold chain management; and

(d) the details of collaborations with foreign countries to bring better technological expertise in floriculture into the country, if any?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã ??? ????? ?????? ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ À㕾㠽ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIYA )

(a): At present, export of floriculture items (i.e. cut flowers, bulb, tuber, live plants, foliage branch etc) from India is free without any quantitative restriction. Under ‘Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), 5% incentive on export of floriculture items to be notified, countries shall be payable to the exporters of the realized FOB value (in free foreign exchange). State-wise area and production data of flowers in the country for the last three years and the current year is at Annexure I.

(b): In term of value, India’s share in global exports of floriculture items is very low. The value of foreign exchange earned from export of floriculture items by India is given below:
(in US$ million)

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16(Apr-Dec)
77.79 75.31 75.40 52.55

(c): Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is being implemented w.e.f. 2014-15, for holistic growth of the horticulture sector, including floriculture. Under the component of Flowers, farmers are provided assistance i.e. 40% of the cost ranging from Rs. 40,000 /ha. to Rs. 1.50 lakh/ha. limited to 2 ha per beneficiary. Assistance is also extended for setting up of infrastructure relating to cold chain management viz. pre-cooling units, on farm pack houses, mobile pre-cooling units, staging cold rooms, refrigerated vans etc. under Integrated Post Harvest Management component and marketing for better price realization of produce.

Under ICAR, the All India Coordinated Research Project on Floriculture (AICRPF) carries nation-wide interdisciplinary research by linking ICAR Institutes with State Agricultural Universities (SAUs). AICRP on Floriculture provides a platform for applied region specific research including testing of the technologies and strengthens the outreach programme. Presently, the technical support is provided by the centres of AICRP on Floriculture spreading across the country. It deals with research projects on thirteen commercial flower crops including foliage plants and specialty/unexplored flowers.

(d): This department has signed 54 MoUs with various foreign countries till date, covering activities under Agriculture and allied sectors, out of which Horticulture has been one of the areas of cooperation under most of these MoUs.

Further, India is implementing Indo-Israel Action Plan (2015-18) and Indo-Dutch Action Plan (2015-18) for transfer of technology for development of Horticulture including Floriculture.