Floriculture is the farming and marketing of flowers and ornamental plants. Floriculture crops include flowering plants, bedding and garden plants, house plants, fresh-cut flowers, and cultivated greens.

The government of India has identified floriculture as a sunrise industry and accorded it 100% export-oriented status. The commercial cultivation of flowers offers a good return. The floriculture witnessed a shift from traditional flowers to cut flowers to align with the global flower market. The prominent floricultural crops in the international cut flower trade are Rose, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Gargera, Gladiolus, Gypsophila, Liatris, Nerine, Orchids, Archilea, Anthurium, Tulip, and Lilies. In the year 2023, India was the 26th largest exporter of Cut Flowers in the world. The area under cultivation of flowers is the second largest in the world. India is also the World’s top producer and exporter of dry flowers.

Floriculture is an excellent alternative source of livelihood. It is also a promising venture for marginal and small land holdings. It is a good option to explore along with other crops, either in sequence or as intercrop. The majority of the landholdings in India are marginal or small. Agriculture is a core sector. Floriculture is one of the ways to strengthen the economic sustainability of the agriculture sector.

(Based on the information collated from the various sources. The links for the sources are provided in the text. Views are personal.)