Sikkim forays into global floral market of $25 billion

Sikkim forays into global floral market of $25 billion

23 Feb, 2013, 05.21PM IST,

by  Debasis SarkarDebasis Sarkar,ET Bureau 

SILIGURI: "God's own Garden," as tiny Himalayan state Sikkim calls itself. And now this is open for the world. A mega scale global level floral exhibition in Sikkim began today as part of the International Flower Festival 2013. 

According to the state Chief Minister Mr. Pawan Chamling, primary objective of the exhibition is to show case Sikkim's floral treasure to the global level players in floriculture business arena. Bio Diversity hot spot Sikkim is organizing the festival for the second time this year after the first one organized in 2008. "Highly encouraging response of the first exhibition remained as s a major driving force behind the exhibition this year," said Mr. Karma Gyatso the state Chief Secretary. 

The five day long mega exhibition is taking place at Saramsa Garden near Gangtok, is being participated by representatives from 9 countries including Global Giant in floral business Netherlands. There are also 7 Indian state Governments including Kerala, Mizoram, Karnataka. All together, there are other 31 private players to occupy total 82 stalls and an expectation of over two lakh visitors. 

The exhibition is part of the festival that has been inaugurated by the state Governor on February 17. Sikkim, the newest member of North East Council hosts a bio diversity treasure of around 5000 species of flowering plants, 600 species of orchids, 240 species of trees and ferns, 150 varieties of gladioli, 36 types of rhododendrons along with a variety of magnolias and many other foliage plants. With all these in hands, the state is celebrating 2012-2013 as the year of horticulture. 

According to Mr. S. K. Pradhan, Chairperson of the international flower show 2013 organizing committee and state Secretary of Horticulture and Cash crop Development Department, the flower show is expected to put Sikkim in the world floriculture map while providing significant synergy to the filed of tourism too, a major economic pillars of the state. "With such a varied topography and rich biodiversity, India as a whole and especially Sikkim is a dreamland for anyone in floriculture business. Though Sikkim's presence is not yet very bold in international market of over $ 25 billion, it hosts immense potential to be so in newer future," said Mr. Jan Willem Mantel, Area Export Manager of 'De Jong Lelies,' a major global level company dealing with Lilies from Netherlands.