Main Article Content
Abstract
Cutflowers are parts of plants, characteristically including the blooms or inflorescenses and some attached plant materials, but not roots and soil. Cutflowers industry is a branch of floriculture industry. In Tamil Nadu, small-scale flower production initially started in late seventies by some innovative farmers with the production of tuberose, but large scale commercial production was started in mid eighties in Hosur of Kirushnagiri district (Sultana, 2003). The most common, commercially grown flower species in Tamil Nadu are tuberose (Polianthes tuberose), rose (Rosa indica), marigold (Tagetes erecta, T. patula), gladiolus (Gladious spp.) and orchids. Tamil Nadu is well suited for cutflower and foliage production due to its favourable climate and other conditions such as scope to expand cultivation in unutilized homestead lands, cheap labour, relatively low capital investment in contrast with high value addition and good prospect for exports. However, floriculture has not received any direct attention or organized intervention for development. Agriculture is almost entirely the private sector initiative in an unorganized way and support from the government. Therefore, if the flower industry is explored by farmers, traders, exporters and policy makers, it can significantly contribute to the national economy by earning foreign exchange, generating employment and increasing GDP. Nevertheless, there is a lack of agribusiness studies on floriculture in Tamil Nadu. The present study thus attempts to cover the whole agribusiness structure of cut flowers as a commercial product. It may provide valuable information to the farmers, different intermediaries, policy makers of the Government and NGOs to formulate policy aimed at increasing production and distribution.