Sikandar Gurung, president of Floriculture Association of Nepal, Kaski, said the fair was being organized to make available flowers of different varieties under a single roof. Gurung said stalls in the exhibition were selling flowers in the range of Rs 15 to as much as Rs 50,000.
The organizers expect turnover of around Rs 600,000 during the four-day event. Last year, flowers worth Rs 400,000 were traded during the exhibition. More than 25,000 visitors are expected to participate in the event.
According to organizers, more than 90 percent of flowers consumed in Pokhara are imported from neighboring countries. Florists in the lake city are compelled to import flowers from India due to the lack of sufficient commercial farming in the city. “Local production meets only five percent of total flowers demand here. Due to lack of sufficient local production and various constraints, we have to depend on India for flower supplies,” Gurung told myrepublica.com.
“We can do brisk business by selling cut flowers. But we have been facing difficulties because of lack of sufficient investment in the sector,” shared Daya Dua, a florist.
Floriculture started in Pokhara around two decades ago. At present, there are 24 nurseries in the lake city. According to organizers, investment in flower business is somewhere around Rs 10 million.
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