Flower seeds export from Punjab may fall by 20%

Exports of flower seeds from Punjab are likely to decline by over 20 per cent this year as the recent frost conditions has caused extensive damage to the flower crop in the state.

Faced with the problem of lower production, flower seed exports from the state would decline, the exporters said.

Describing the present situation as 'worst ever' being faced by the flower growers, exporters have now cut down the estimation of flower seed export by over Rs 1 crore from annual export of Rs 5 crore.

"Given the present circumstances, we are now thinking how we will meet our orders," said Avtar Singh Dhindsa, progressive flower seed exporter of Ludhiana.

The exporters are worried that they would not be able to meet export commitments to their global buyers and have now made up their mind to request their foreign buyers to extend their delivery period by a couple of months so that the flower growers could procure the crop from Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir.

"But it will be up to our buyers whether they accept it or not. If they do not approve it, we will have to bear huge losses," said another flower seed exporter.

As per the report prepared by Punjab Horticulture Department, about 28,000 quintals of flowers of seed quality, which was grown on 550 hectares of land in Bathinda, Moga, Sangrur, Fathegarh Saihib districts, were completely damaged by the frost last month.

As many as 200 farmers are engaged in flower growing business for export purposes in the state. Punjab exports flower seeds to Europe, Japan and US.