Anantapur farmers smell profits from floriculture

Floriculture is new trend that is catching up in Anantapur district, one of the backward districts in the State and which also experiences high temperatures and low rainfall. The farmers are apparently betting big on floriculture in view of growing demand for cut flowers in the country and abroad.

The farmers, who used to cultivate capsicum, British cucumber, onion shallots etc, are diversifying to floriculture with a view to improve their earnings. The farmers in the district used to cultivate capsicum and other exotic vegetables in 37 acre. The farmers used to earn ₹8 lakh to ₹10 lakh per acre when capsicum was being cultivated. But, of late, they found that prices of capsicum would fall if there was a bumper crop in neighbouring Karnataka.

Farmers like Akbar Basha felt that floriculture is an alternative way to tide over the problem and switched over to cultivation of cut roses. He began cultivation of hybrid roses in 2.17 acre land. Thanks to the poly house technique employed for floriculture, now, 10 to 15 acre is under hybrid roses and gerberas are being cultivated.

Integrated pack houses

When contacted, Deputy Director (Horticulture) B.A. Subba Rayudu says the floriculture is picking up in places like Penugonda and Konduru village in Lepakshi mandal of the district. The firms like ‘Kusalav Organics’ have also began cultivation of the roses. The farmers are setting up integrated pack houses which include cold rooms, grading and packing facilities. Rose bud nets were also being used to ensure that the flower blossoms after reaching the destination, he says.

Mr. Rayudu says that the government was giving a subsidy of ₹12 lakh per acre to construct the poly houses. Each farmer may spend between ₹34 lakh and ₹35 lakh per acre to develop the poly house.

The farmers were harvesting about 2 lakh flowers per acre. They get around ₹8 lakh to ₹10 lakh per acre. Each flower costs at least ₹5, he explains.