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| Monday, 1 March 2004 |
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Production to be doubled in four years: Floriculture nets Rs. 1 b forex in 2003 by Steve A. Morrell Cut leaves, cut flowers, flower bulbs, rooted plants and foliage have earned around one billion rupees in foreign exchange in 2003 Dilip de Silva President, Floriculture Produce Exporters' Association told the Daily News. The floriculture industry started 20 years ago with 17 members. Their member strength now stands at 40 member companies, broadbased across the country producing these agriculture based products essentially for export.
Although successive governments were somewhat reluctant to extend support, the National Agribusiness Council played a vital role. The needs of member companies are examined for extension of assistance. Subject to these interventions being approved by the executive committee, extending to wide cross section of the membership, the floriculture industry has entered the income earner bracket, de Silva said. Silva is also Managing Director, Serendib Horticulture Technologies (Pvt) Ltd. He said the Association's aim was to double production levels within the next four years. Globally, major producing countries are far ahead of Sri Lanka. China and Central United States are the leading producers at present which together account for 15 per cent of the world's production. Sri Lanka's share is barely 5 per cent, he said. "It would be quite impossible to compete with those countries, because they have thousands of hectares producing foliage and cut flowers". China's production is essentially for their domestic market. "We do not know their production levels, or extents, but nobody doubts that their entry into the global distribution network could have the capacity to blot out smaller production locations". "Amsterdam is the hub for floriculture production, and it is essential that producer countries have quick access to that destination because the European distribution originates from there. Things worked well till airlane traffic direct to Amsterdam was suspended. What happens now is that Emirates detours to Dubai. That stop-over takes over five hours, which affects freshness and causes high discard percentage, de Alwis said. He said that freight and transit have been a constant irritant and the Association had made strong representations to the relevant Government Departments. "This was still in a state of flux, but a permanent solution could be expected shortly", he said. Floriculture and inherent off shoots could be good business options for the plantation sector, but investment levels should be projected long-term and not a knee-jerk short term enterprise. The investments are good, and would bear salutary results, subject to such investment being sustained through a trained worker base. de Alwis was optimistic of future prospects for this industry. Nurseries in Kalagedihena now produce two million plants through tissue culture, which is less costly, with the added benefit of plant concentration through density tolerance. The industry will falter, unless new verities, or hybrids are developed. To fill this vacuum scientists from the Department of Agriculture, and the University of Peradeniya, are researching breeding techniques through selected plant stock. |
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