Question : Flower Production

(a) 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 including Tamil Nadu;

(b) whether farmers engaged in flower production have met with huge losses due to COVID-19 pandemic and if so, the details thereof and whether the Government will extend help to farmers to overcome the problem;

(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 AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a) Details of area covered and production in the last 3 years, State / UT wise is given at Annexure-I.

(b): As such, no information on huge losses in flower production have been reported by States due to COVID-19 pandemic.


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(c): For promotion of floriculture in the country, financial assistance is provided for area expansion, and for protective cultivation, under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), which is a centrally sponsored scheme being implemented in the country w.e.f. 2014-15 for holistic growth of horticulture sector (details at Annexure-II).

Technological support for floriculture in the country is provided by ICAR institutes and Horticulture universities. Research work is done by ICAR institutes for crop improvement, crop production, crop protection, post harvest management and value addition.

(d): Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare is implementing Indo – Israel Agriculture Action Plan and Indo – Dutch Action Plan, which also includes transfer of technology for horticulture development. Under these Action Plans, Centre of Excellence (CoEs) are being established with technical cooperation from Israeli experts and PUM experts (Dutch). The main objective of establishment of these CoE’s is demonstration of technologies, training and production of quality planting material.

Centre of Excellence for flowers has been set-up in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu and Rangareddy, Telengana, under Indo-Israel collaboration.