DHARAN, April 28: To promote production of flower in Nepal, Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN) has established province-level floriculture counseling center in Aman Bajar of Dharan. The counseling center was inaugurated by Manju Bhandari Subedi, deputy mayor of Dharan Municipality, amid a special event organized on Thursday. 

FAN informed that anyone could learn about flower business from this center. The association will provide all necessary information for the people who want to be involved in flower business. “This is a province-level counseling center of Province 1. We provide information and counseling to those people who are interested and want to engage in floriculture business,” said Kumar Kasaju, central president of Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN). “We hope this will help to promote the production of flowers in Nepal.” 

Stating that the center was currently running with the help of Ministry of Agriculture, Kasaju urged the provincial and local governments to support them in their drive to manage and increase the production of flowers. “We have 25 years of experience and now we are looking forward to work in collaboration with government,” he added. “We should work in PPP model.”

Subedi said that they were planning to develop Dharan into a city of flower in coordination with flower entrepreneurs. She also said that the local government will make an action plan to create a favorable market for flower business in Nepal.

Flower entrepreneur suggested the local government to work in association with related organizations while developing any project on floriculture. “We are happy that local bodies are developing projects for floriculture but they haven't collaborated with flower entrepreneurs,” said Prem Prasad Parajuli, a floriculturist. “This project will not move ahead until they work in collaboration with concerned organizations and specialists,” he added. 

“The tradition of offering flowers and leaves in the temple makes the area dirty so we should develop a tradition of offering flower plants along with flower pots. This will help to reduce the garbage and offering flower plants along with pots will enhance the beauty of the temple as well. For this, everyone including the local government and priests of temples should cooperate,” He said.

Flower entrepreneur Khagendra Prashad Pokharel said domestic production of flower should be promoted. According to him, flowers that are imported from Sikkim and Darjeeling can be grown in Bhedetar, whereas flowers imported from Kolkata can be grown in the Tarai belt.