How Does Floriculture Contribute To India’s Growing Agricultural Economy?

Do you love flowers? Well, I am sure you do! Who doesn’t love flowers?

But do you love growing them? Do you feel happy growing flowers in the backyard?

If yes, then let me tell you, it is not just satisfactory to watch them. Rather, growing those colorful flowers can be way more profitable than you can even imagine.

Floriculture or the practice of growing various flowers is one of the budding businesses with high ROI throughout the world. Over 140 global countries have successfully generated huge revenues through this farming.  

However, did you know, that India alone has globally exported 15,695.31 MT of flower items worth Rs. 575.98 Crores?

And not just that!

According to the latest estimations, the Indian floricultural production will be worth around INR 590 Crores by 2030. The CAGR of 7.4% & the total floricultural productions in 2022 worth INR 47200 crore show how commercially successful this farming sector is!

So, do you want to learn more about it? Do you also want to invest? Then, check out this guide to learn about the types, techniques, & how you can initiate your floricultural business.

What Is Floriculture All About?

As you can guess, the term refers to the study of producing as well as marketing diverse flowers & foliage plants. To be precise, farmers grow flowers for selling in the local market or for ornamental purposes. 

However, floricultural products also contribute to other industries such as perfume, cosmetics, & pharmaceuticals, etc. by supplying flowers. The process involves the production of seeds, plants, & flowers through budding, cutting, & grafting processes. 

However, the high market demand for floricultural products encouraged the  Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority to promote this farming practice. 

Also, the Indian Government has identified it as the “Sunrise Industry” due to its profitability & usage in various creative projects. Tamilnadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, & Maharashtra are some of the major production centers in India.

But, do you know when the concept became so popular?

The History of Floriculture

Have you heard of Babylon’s Hanging Garden? It is one of the world’s seven wonders. But why?

Well, this was one of the primitive examples of practicing floriculture, horticulture, & vertical farming. Later, in 30 A.D., the Romans developed the first greenhouse for the emperor called Tiberius. Moreover, in the 1500s, the Holland inhabitants invented the process of growing greenhouse flowers. 

However, Indian ancient scriptures record the presence of beautiful flower gardens. But, historically, the production of flowers for ornamental purposes dates back to the Mughal empire. Today, it is the highest profit-making industry all over the world. 

Now, do you know what are the most popular types of flowers farmed using this process? Let’s discuss them now!

2 Basic Types of Flowers Grown in Floriculture

Depending on market demands & suitable climates, farmers grow different types of flowers starting from Roses, Lilies, & Tulips to Chrysanthemum, Carnation, Orchids, & Gladiolus. 

However, we can classify the flowers into two separate categories depending on the production methods & supply markets. 

International Cut Flowers

Usually, traders export these types of flowers to international markets. Some of the examples include Gladiolus, Anthurium, Orchids, Nerine, Tulip, Lilies, Gargera, Chrysanthemum, Carnation, Gypsophila, Liatris, Roses, etc. 

Greenhouse Flowers

Farmers produce flowers like Carnations & Gerberas in the greenhouses. However, they farm Lilies, Marigolds, Roses, Tuberose, Aster, etc. in open fields. However, based on production scale, cost involvement, & technological applications, the greenhouse production process can be low-cost, medium-cost, or hi-tech. 

7 Types of Modern Floriculture

Bedding Plants

This can be the perfect indoor investment to gain high profits. You can sow off-seasonal seeds & later transplant the plants elsewhere in the growing season for marketing. Precisely, colorful flowers like petunia, marigolds, begonia, etc. get you annual production for creating decorative flower beds. 

Hanging Plants

You can grow certain decorative plants & hang them from the ceiling with ropes. Also, you can also decorate the hanging pots or baskets for an added layer of aestheticism & better market value. 

Potted Plants

This type of floriculture practice is a uniquely indoor approach. You can grow foliage plants within pots like ferns, elephant ears, caladium, etc. to decorate your rooms & garden.

Dried Flowers

Dried flowers are essential for home decor, aromatherapy, skincare, and even cooking. Producing flowers like lavender, roses, strawflower, sage, Rodanthe, etc. can generate high revenues. All you need to do is to dry them properly using preservatives & that’s it!

Cut Flowers

These cut flowers are in high market demand to create beautiful bouquets. Just cut off the colorful flowers along with their roots & branches and sell them at high prices to florists. Roses, chrysanthemums, and lilies are ideal for this purpose. 

Loose Flowers

Loose flowers are best for religious usages & room decorations. India is one of the largest global producers of loose flowers. So, grow flowers like lotus, marigolds, jasmine, etc. & earn your share of the profit. 

Cut Greens

Production of cut greens or leaves & stems is crucial for creating fresh & colorful floral designs, interior decor, & bouquets. 

So, what are you waiting for?

Start growing your plants today! But do not forget to let me know which flowers you have grown. 

4 Highly Profitable Floriculture Businesses

Have you already made up your mind to invest in floricultural practices?

Well, that’s quite great!

But, do you know which floricultural businesses can double up your profit margin? If not, then check these out!

Perfumes

Flowers like jasmine, frangipani, chamomile, lavender, violet, ylang-ylang, rose, etc. play crucial roles in manufacturing perfumes & essences. 

Nursery

Nurseries are not only highly lucrative for profit-making but also great for your mind!

So, invest in the production of colorful flowers for commercial purposes & earn great revenues today! 

Pharmaceuticals

Probably, you already know the pharmaceutical industry is one of the most flourishing businesses these days!

However, did you know that even you can generate high ROI with floricultural investments? Flowers such as carotenoids, chrysanthemum, achiote, opium poppies, spider lilies, summer snowflakes, & sweet wormwood, etc. are excellent for medicinal purposes.

Cosmetics

Do you use cosmetics? 

Well, I know you love your high-end moisturizer kept at your bedside!

But, did you know there are a lot of organic cosmetic products available in the market nowadays? Flowers like lavender, lily, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, chamomile, etc. are excellent for manufacturing essential oils, body lotions, creams, etc. 

4 Basic Requirements for Successful Floriculture

I know you will be a quite successful floriculturalist! 

However, here are some of the factors to consider for successful production.

Ideal Temperature

In the daytime, flowers need a particular temperature range from 8 to 28 degrees Celsius for optimal growth. Contradictorality, flowers like hibiscus, anthuriums, orchids, etc. grow better in slightly warmer temperature ranges from 25 to 35 degrees Celsius. However, at night, they need cooler temperatures. 

Rainfall

To promote the healthy growth of flowers, an average annual rainfall of 1000 to 1500 mm is required. However, water clogging or excessive rainfall might damage the plant roots.

Sunlight

This is probably the most important growth factor!

Do not forget to expose your favorite flowers to sunlight for 6 to 8 hours at a stretch. 

Soil

Loamy and sandy loamy soil rich in organic nutrient components like nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, minerals, etc. are ideal for flower production. 

3 Benefits of Practicing Floriculture

Economic Aspect

It creates many job opportunities both in rural & urban areas & also for women. Moreover, it earns the farmers better revenues & even foreign exchanges through exports. 

Sustainable Production

Since it involves natural pest control methods & fertilizer usage, it preserves the natural resources & biodiversity.

Market Demand

The floricultural products & their components are crucial for medicine, perfume, & other industries and purposes such as home decor.

3 Challenges in Floriculture Practices

Poor Knowledge & infrastructure

Since it is a new concept, managing the production & marketing is challenging due to a lack of skills & cold storage. 

Crop Stresses

Open field flower production might cause crop stresses making it harder to export.

High Investment

It requires high capital initially for setting up the farm & managing the farming resources or inputs. 

5 Steps to Start Floriculture 

Now, you are already up for it, right?

So, let’s discuss a few steps that can help you sort out how to start your farming journey.

Market Research & Business Plan

Before you invest, do basic market research to get insights about the target market & identify your potential consumers. Now, if you are good at market analysis, you can roughly chalk out your business plan. 

Wondering what to consider?

List down the types of flowers you want to grow, how much to invest initially, marketing & distribution management, etc. 

Right Infrastructure & Investment

Now, comes the most important step!

Find the right location to set up your farm, manage the farming resources, analyze the climate conditions, & soil quality. However, if you are planning to do large-scale farming, I suggest you invest in a greenhouse setup for quality production. 

Registering Your Business

To avoid any regulatory & legal complications, register your business to MSME & Roc. 

Farming Inputs & Techniques

Do you know there are hundreds of modern technical equipment available in the market for better farming?

Also, the latest farming methods like drip irrigation, IPM, & mulching can produce flowers in large quantities. 

Right Marketing

A good marketing strategy can change your entire floriculture game!

 I suggest you take the help of online videos, workshops, & training sessions to develop a marketing strategy for better marketing. This way, you can set a competitive price & invest in quality packaging for double profitability. 

Also, you can provide additional value-added services, for example, connect with florists, home decor, perfume & pharmaceutical industry owners & supply raw materials. 

3 Recent Developments in Floriculture

Now, let me share with you some important technological innovations!

Knowing about this can help you decide whether you should invest in them for better production or not.

Modernized Techniques & Equipment

The solar-powered & air-cooled pushcarts are great innovations for better production & packaging without wasting non-renewable natural resources. Also, the latest farming techniques like mulching, and micro-irrigation result in reduced involvement of human labor & usage of natural resources.

Training & Knowledge

The Indian Government has initiated some great training missions for educating the youth & tribal women like “Skilling India,” & “Standup India.” Also, support the certified nurseries & the tissue culture labs to promote better flower quality & commercial marketing.

Flori Malls

This type of integrated infrastructure can extract essential oil from flowers & pigments. Also, it can supply essential raw products to various commercial industries. 

The Government Initiatives for Floriculture 

The Indian Government initiated the CSIR mission & already implemented it in 22 states and union territories of India. Precisely, the CSIR Institutes encourage floricultural scientific research & the innovation of the latest technologies.

Also, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority plays a crucial role in promoting floricultural infrastructures. Additionally, the 100% Foreign Direct Investment makes floricultural investments easier. 

Moreover, the Integrated Development of Commercial Floriculture Scheme helps farmers invest in quality farming equipment & management. 

The Future Scopes & The Growth of Floriculture In India

According to the latest reports, India stands in 11th position globally in cut flower exportation. So, can you imagine how flourishing the industry is?

Well, the flower production industry along with the related commercial businesses earns the producers large revenues. 

If you want to increase your profit margin, I suggest investing in greenhouse farming setups & connecting with pharmaceutical industry owners. You will never be at a loss due to the increasing popularity of medicinal products & home decor industries. 

So, let me know when you start creating your own floricultural farm!

Frequently Asked Questions