Jaspreet Singh of Naag Kalan village, who adopted floriculture, has set an example for many by making horticulture profitable. After completing his graduation in 2010, Jaspreet decided to venture into progressive farming. He contacted the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU)’s Farm Advisory Service Centre situated in his village.
In 2013, he grew marigold on 2 kanal. Following the demand, he also started growing gladiolus, chrysanthemum statice, and gulduadi. He is the only farmer in the district who grows chrysanthemum statice, which is used as a filler in bouquets.
Jaspreet owns five acres of ancestral land, and before the pandemic, he used to grow flowers on nine acres. The pandemic badly hit the florists, as marriage ceremonies and other events were canceled or restricted. The flower growers have to do marketing of their product on their own as there is no cooperative or government support.
“Our session starts on November 15. Festivals create good demand, but marketing is a major challenge for us. Those who do their marketing on their own and have some sale counter in the city earn good profit. However, we do not get quality seed in the local market. We have to visit Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to get quality seeds,” said Jaspreet.
A number of farmers in his village had resorted to floriculture, but the pandemic left them demoralized. Jaspreet hopes that the demand for flowers will increase this marriage season.
Read the complete article at www.tribuneindia.com.
