Cut flower export on the rise

The country's export earnings from cut flower and foliage for the July to January period of the current fiscal (2018-19) touched $3.98 million already, up from just $0.02 million in the 2017-18 fiscal year, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data.

EPB data also read, Bangladesh exported cut flowers, leaves, trees, plants, bulbs, roots of $86,000 (about Tk 72 lakh) in the 2016-17 fiscal, and $78,000 (about Tk 65 lakh) in the previous fiscal.

According to floriculture industry insiders, the country's flowers and floral products are being exported to different countries including India, Pakistan, Italy, Portugal, Middle east country specially Saudi Arabia, the United States, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, Germany, Britain, Denmark and France.

The country's local market for flowers and cut foliage has reached Tk 1,200 crore per annum and growing at 10 per cent per annum, a recent report of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) said.

Abdur Rahim, president of Bangladesh Flower Society (BFS), said Bangladesh has an economic advantage thanks to its favorable climate and topography as well as low labour costs and relatively low capital investment, which is helping the sector to flourish. "We can better grip the markets both at home and abroad," Rahim said.

" Flower and foliage are being cultivated  more than 20 districts including Jashore, Jhenidah, Magura, Rangpur, Bogra, Dhaka (Savar), Gazipur and Manikganj. Around 200,000 people are directly and indirectly dependent on this sector while more than 25,000 families are engaged in cultivating flowers," he also said.

Anwar Faruque, former secretary of Agriculture Ministry told, "We can earn huge amount of foreign currency if we can cultivate flowers properly. We noticed that the demand of Bangladeshi flowers is positive to world markets. So we should facilitate the cultivation process and train up farmers in this regard.

"The government and involved people of the sector have to move for introducing modern technologies and ensuring supply of newer seeds, building warehouses and cold storages," he also said.

According to International Trade Centre (ITC) study, the global flower exports over the last few years have grown by more than 10 per cent annually.

However, World Floriculture Map read the export value reached over $10 billion in 2015 from only cut flower segment. However, Europe is the largest consumer of floriculture followed by North America and China.

Babul Proshad, president of Dhaka Ful Bayabsayee Kallyan Somity Ltd, said  "We have been doing natural flower business for long years at Shahbagh, we don’t  sell artificial flowers.

"Import duty of artificial products that are used to make  plastic flowers should be further increased. These items also affected for environment," he added.

Director of DCCI, also former president, Abul Kasem Khan said, the flower sector is a very potent industry but there is no specific policy for the emerging here. To establish the sector, infrastructure development through investing in more cold storages is much needed.

HM

Cut flower export on the rise

The countrys export earnings from cut flower and foliage for the July to January period of the current fiscal (2018-19) touched $3.98 million already, up from just $0.02 million in the 2017-18 fiscal year, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data. EPB data also read, Bangladesh exported cut flowers, leaves, trees, plants, bulbs, roots of $86,000 (about Tk 72 lakh) in the 2016-17 fiscal, and $78,000 (about Tk 65 lakh) in the previous fiscal. According to floriculture industry insiders, the countrys flowers and floral products are being exported to different countries including India, Pakistan, Italy, Portugal, Middle east country specially Saudi Arabia, the United States, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, Germany, Britain, Denmark and France. The countrys local market for flowers and cut foliage has reached Tk 1,200 crore per annum and growing at 10 per cent per annum, a recent report of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) said. Abdur Rahim, president of Bangladesh Flower Society (BFS), said Bangladesh has an economic advantage thanks to its favorable climate and topography as well as low labour costs and relatively low capital investment, which is helping the sector to flourish. We can better grip the markets both at home and abroad, Rahim said. Flower and foliage are being cultivated more than 20 districts including Jashore, Jhenidah, Magura, Rangpur, Bogra, Dhaka (Savar), Gazipur and Manikganj. Around 200,000 people are directly and indirectly dependent on this sector while more than 25,000 families are engaged in cultivating flowers, he also said. Anwar Faruque, former secretary of Agriculture Ministry told, We can earn huge amount of foreign currency if we can cultivate flowers properly. We noticed that the demand of Bangladeshi flowers is positive to world markets. So we should facilitate the cultivation process and train up farmers in this regard. The government and involved people of the sector have to move for introducing modern technologies and ensuring supply of newer seeds, building warehouses and cold storages, he also said. According to International Trade Centre (ITC) study, the global flower exports over the last few years have grown by more than 10 per cent annually. However, World Floriculture Map read the export value reached over $10 billion in 2015 from only cut flower segment. However, Europe is the largest consumer of floriculture followed by North America and China. Babul Proshad, president of Dhaka Ful Bayabsayee Kallyan Somity Ltd, said We have been doing natural flower business for long years at Shahbagh, we dont sell artificial flowers. Import duty of artificial products that are used to make plastic flowers should be further increased. These items also affected for environment, he added. Director of DCCI, also former president, Abul Kasem Khan said, the flower sector is a very potent industry but there is no specific policy for the emerging here. To establish the sector, infrastructure development through investing in more cold storages is much needed. HM