FLOWERING OF A GREEN IDEA

Akila Wijerathna examines the viability of cultivating and exporting plants

Floriculture, which is a branch of horticulture, offers entrepreneurial opportunities for small and marginal farmers to earn additional income and foreign exchange. It encompasses cut flowers, ornamental plants such as foliage, trees, shrubs, climbers, palms, bamboo, cacti and succulents, as well as dried flowers, essential oils and landscape gardening.

Edible flowers are sometimes used to add sensory properties to food and to decorate dishes. Aside from food and nutrition, plants are essential to our lives environmentally, economically, aesthetically and socially. Horticultural therapy, which is a new dimension of the science, has been found to help heal emotional trauma.

Agripreneurship is a crucial process in the economic progression of developing societies. The concept of agricultural entrepreneurship was introduced to support farmers and relevant industries by improving the means of production and increasing market engagement.

Floriculture marketing offers an excellent opportunity for agripreneurial exploration. The possibilities are numerous: florist shops, wholesale trading and online retailing.

There is an urgent need to transform the present form of subsistence farming into profitable ventures by promoting agripreneurship among rural youth and stimulating their interest in agriculture and allied sectors.

Agripreneurship has the potential to contribute to a range of social and economic development such as employment and income generation, poverty reduction and improvement in nutrition, health and overall food security.

Women form a significant component of the workforce as there are also many indirect jobs in horticulture that they perform. Their income impacts hundreds of thousands of families. Young women take the lead in agripreneurship and data shows that female participation is already high in horticulture.

Floriculture crops include bedding plants, houseplants, flowering garden and pot plants, cut cultivated greens and cut flowers. As distinguished from nursery crops, floricultural growth is generally herbaceous. The high cost of structures such as greenhouses, irrigation and post-harvest facilities are some of the significant constraints to the production process.

Availability of quality planting materials, most of which are imported, is sporadic. Floriculture technology is still insufficient for new varieties and types of cut flowers to be introduced. Production technology development demands the use of new agricultural chemicals, which are also not readily available locally and are very expensive when imported.

Access to credit is difficult and the rates of interest on loans are high. Floriculturists require financial support during the initial stages of production; and since insurance requirements demanded by lending agencies are rarely met, growers face the dilemma of whether to continue with horticulture or not.

Furthermore, the cut flower sector is still in its early stages, and not much information is available on the viability and prospects of the enterprise so investors are slow to enter the business since lending agencies tend to demand feasibility studies.

Therefore, research on cut flowers and ornamental plants is necessary, to support and solve the problems faced by growers; and cooperation between private and public institutions should be strengthened and developed.

An advantage to consider is the short production cycles for cut flowers and ornamental plants, which makes Sri Lanka an ideal location for the multiplication of planting material.

Exporters too face challenges such as shortages in volume and in the quality of cut flowers. Small growers find it difficult to compete with large-scale entrepreneurs. It may be easier to address quality standards – but volume would need more attention.

Improvement of the domestic market is a prerequisite for increasing exports, which require high quality standards, large volume and competitive prices. In addition, a well-established wholesale market is needed to positively impact the progress of the floriculture sector.

Complying with standards can increase a business’ market access but an increase in the same doesn’t always ensure premium prices. In complex supply chains, premiums paid by the consumer may be absorbed by downstream retailers, manufacturers and other middlemen.

It is essential that primary producers also focus on good agricultural practices, traceability and fair trade measures that aim to ensure they are fairly paid, possess organic certification and apply sound management systems.

We need to continue building momentum around wider stakeholder engagement to ensure that the role of women in floriculture is addressed so that they too can enjoy all the benefits of growing flowers.

The state needs to encourage and support agripreneurs in running their farms and agribusinesses systematically and in a profitable manner.