SAY IT FLOWERS IN SIKKIM

Say it with flowers in Sikkim

GANGTOK, Jan. 30: Floriculture is picking up in Sikkim both in the rural and the urban areas. Many Sikkim residents are now taking to floriculture in the urban areas, growing orchids on terraces, while some are developing nurseries on a commercial scale. Cut orchids are proving to be an alternative source of income. A spike of cymbidium orchid can fetch as much as Rs 1,000 locally.
The government Model Floriculture Centre at Namli is also flourishing. Four greenhouses have been added to it to cultivate flowers like gerbera, rose and phalaenopsis, which, when sold as cut flowers, should fetch decent prices for the growers.
In addition, three large low-cost bamboo poly greenhouses have been set up at Namli to rear rose and lilium. A number of plots have been covered with several varieties of flowers like the bird of paradise, wax ginges and heliconia.
The state government has also set up a cymbidium orchid centre at Rumtek and a model floriculture centre is under way in South District. Gladiolus is the most sought after flower by the small farmers. Peruvian lily is becoming the most popular flower in the higher altitudes. Daramdin in West Sikkim has been developed into a rose village. The rose growers sell their produce in Kolkata and New Delhi, each farmer earning anything between Rs 4,000 to Rs 12,000 per month.
Assam Linjey in East has been declared as a cymbidium village. Once known as the Valley of Rice, Skkim is now turning into a Valley of Flowers. n SNS