To help the State farmers to come out of the vicious cycle of wheat-paddy cultivation and to supplement their income with plantation of flowers, Punjab Government has initiated all out efforts to encourage flower cultivation in the State.
Due to incessant efforts of the State Horticulture Department, approximately 1374 hectares of area has been brought under flower production, said a spokesperson of the State Horticulture Department.
Giving details, he said that Patiala district tops in the state in flower production with a production of 2617 metric tonnes of fresh flowers and 7834 kilohectares yield from 334 hectares of land.
ludhiana is second in the list with production of 1395 metric tonnes of fresh flowers, 7304 kg hectare yield out of 191 hectares followed by SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr) with 1235 MT of production, 7716 kg hectare yield out of 160 hectares of
land and closely behind is Jalandhar with 1207 MT, 7940 Kg hectare yield out of 152 hectares of land.
Spokesperson said that the progressive and enterprising farmers of Punjab are fast taking up floriculture as an alternative to the traditional crops. Some of them have started seed production of flowering annuals for export purpose also, he said.
He said that the floricultural offers a ray of hope to farmers of Punjab as the State has suitable soil and climatic conditions for flower cultivation.