Import of flower and foliage has declined significantly in recent years as the local growers are now producing a substantial quantity of alien varieties.
However, flower production has been proved 2-5 times profitable than that of rice, jute, maize, wheat, onion, garlic and vegetables, latest study of Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) found.
The study also placed some recommendations for boosting flower and foliage export.
Despite the fact that Bangladesh exports flower and foliage for the last two decades, but a good quantity of the items including gerbera, gladiolus, liliun etc was earlier imported from Thailand, China and India.
The BTC's latest study showed that Bangladeshi importers brought 0.234 million kilograms (kgs) of flower and foliage worth Tk12.48 million in FY'11 which declined to 0.07 million kgs worth Tk5.2 million in FY'13.
The BTC research titled 'Analysis of Domestic Market and Export Potentials of Cultivated Flowers and Foliage' also showed that the declining import trend continued as import was only 0.047 million kgs worth Tk2.02 million in FY'14.
The import declined by nearly five times (in quantity) in last three years, according to the study.
The BTC finding revealed that commercial flower farming now covers 10,000 hectares of land engaging 0.2 million farmers.
Bangladeshi flower farmers produce gerbera, rose, tuber rose, China rose, gladiolus, liliun, marigold, night queen, orchid, many varieties of ornamental plants, bonsai etc.
The BTC research also found that floriculture (flower and foliage farming) is five times profitable than that of paddy, two times than some vegetables and three times than that of jute.
The study was conducted between 2012 and 2014 in Savar, Gazipur, Jessore, Jhenidah, Chuadanga, Manikganj and some other few places in the country.
It showed a farmer's production cost for 'gerbera' per hectare (annual) is Tk2.5 million while net profit from the produce is also Tk2.5 million.
In the case of tuber rose, net profit per hectare is Tk0.1 million with an investment of Tk0.2 million, net-return from rose is Tk0.2 million.
Net-outcome from gladiolus is also Tk0.1 million by investing Tk0.2 million per hectare.
Team leader of the study and deputy chief of BTC Mohsina Begum told the FE that their research found that a farmer in Chuadnga can make net profit of minimum Tk0.15 million in three months by cultivating gladiolus on one bigha (33 decimals).
"We interviewed Md Mobarak Biswas of Jhikargacha in Jessore who told us that he earns Tk 25,000 per month from his half bigha of land by cultivating rose," she said.
She said rose gardens have expanded to 6000 hectares now that was hardly 3000 hectares a decade back.
She said a rose gardener can get a net-return of Tk0.2 million annually from one hectare of land when it is hardly Tk 40,000 from paddy if price of the produce remains higher.
However, she also pointed out that the farmers' return could be doubled if the influence of middlemen could be minimised.
She said the study found five steps---the farmers, local traders, wholesaler-cum-retailers, retailer and consumers---in the marketing process of flowers and foliage.
The three players between farmers and consumers are eating up the major profit share, she said.
The research recommended imposing higher duty on flower import.
It also recommended reducing the bank interest rate to 5.0-6.0 per cent from the existing 11 per cent.
The BTC analysis suggested the government to provide collateral-free loan (up to Tk0.5 million) for the farmers to boost flower gardening in the country.
The commission also suggested setting up of a flower and foliage research centre at Jessore and set up a permanent flower wholesale market in Gabtali area to facilitate the traders.
Sher-Ali Sarder of Godkhali in Jessore, a pioneer in floriculture in the country, told the FE that initial investment for flower gardening is very important.
He said a farmer would need Tk0.25 million for cultivating rose on one bigha of land.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
