Sri Lanka earned around US$ 16 million in 2017 by exporting floriculture products. Of that, 39% of products are exported as live plants while 60 percent of them were exported as cut foliage.
The floriculture industry is considered a high income generating agribusiness and it can potentially be harnessed as a means of socioeconomic development in Sri Lanka. Also, this sector can be identified as one of the opportunities to get women’s contribution to the national economy. It will enable the empowerment of women’s workforce while improving the standard of living. To cater the export market, ornamental plants should be made in uniform quality in large quantities. Prior to the export, the plant quarantine certificate should be obtained according to the importing country regulations. Since current production is not sufficient, the EDB has identified that new investments need to be promoted with the technological know-how.
These views were expressed at a full day workshop on production of ornamental plants, held at the EDB auditorium on December 4, 2018.