In a heartening development for Tripura’s agrarian community, flower farming has exploded in popularity and profitability, uplifting more than 59,000 farmers in just seven years, as revealed by Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath.
The minister made these remarks post the launch of Vivekananda Flower Garden in West Tripura. He stressed floriculture’s deep integration into daily rituals, festivals, and celebrations, crediting the state’s rich loamy soils and generous monsoons for making it a floriculture hotspot.
Gone are the days when flowers were solely for adornment. Today, it’s a goldmine: Barjala’s Suntu Bhumik pockets about 8 lakhs a year; Kanchannala’s Pradeep Sarkar hauls in 12 lakhs; Chandibari’s Jayanta Deb and Baikhora’s Indrajit Deb Nath earn 8-9 lakhs each.
Key statistics paint a picture of explosive growth. Land under flowers expanded from 2,738 kanis pre-2018 to 11,720 kanis now. Participating farmers grew from 2,190 to 59,100. Output soared from 1,117 to 2,704 metric tons.
Self-sufficiency has improved dramatically—89% of demand is met locally, versus 35% before, reducing external dependency to 21%. High-end varieties in polyhouses and shade nets have seen units rise from 225 to 504, comprising 43% of production up from 25%.
‘Flowers symbolize positivity and enhance life’s beauty,’ Nath noted, lauding farmers as the backbone of society. This boom signals a bright future for Tripura’s floral economy, blending tradition with modern agribusiness.