Agartala, February 5: Tripura‘s Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Ratan Lal Nath, announced on Wednesday that the state has witnessed significant growth in flower farming and production over the past seven years, benefiting more than 59,000 farmers across the region.
This statement was made during the inauguration of the Vivekananda Flower Garden in West Tripura. Minister Nath emphasized the growing importance of floriculture, noting that flowers play a vital role in social, cultural, and religious life.
“Flowers are essential everywhere—from blessings and religious ceremonies to social and cultural events. Tripura’s fertile soil and adequate rainfall make it highly suitable for flower cultivation,” he stated.
Initially, flowers were primarily grown for decoration, but they have now become a lucrative business for farmers, with many earning millions annually. For instance, Santanu Bhowmik from Barjala earns around ₹800,000 per year, while Pradeep Sarkar from Kanchanmala makes approximately ₹1.2 million. Jayanta Dey from Chandibari and Indrajit Debnath from Baikhora earn between ₹800,000 and ₹900,000.
The minister highlighted that flower farming has significantly improved farmers’ incomes. Previously, marigolds, roses, and tuberoses were mostly cultivated in open fields.
Before 2018, flower farming in Tripura covered 2,738 kani (one kani equals 0.34 acres), which has now increased to 11,720 kani over the past seven years. The number of farmers engaged in flower cultivation has surged from 2,190 to 59,100, while production has risen from 1,117 metric tons to 2,704 metric tons.
Earlier, only 35% of the state’s flower demand was met by local production, but now approximately 89% of flowers are grown within the state, with only 21% sourced externally.
The use of protected structures for cultivating high-value flowers such as orchids, gerberas, and anthuriums is also on the rise. The number of protected cultivation units has increased from 225 to 504, with the share of such farming growing from 25% to 43%, reflecting the high demand for flowers in Tripura.
Emphasizing the importance of farmers, the minister stated that agriculture is the most respected profession in the world. “There is no one who does not love flowers and children. Flowers have the power to bring positive energy and beautify life,” he concluded.