Last Updated on July 31, 2021 at 12:35 pm
Around 75% cut flowers demand of Jammu and Kashmir is met by import from outside Union Territory of J&K. But the cost of these imported flowers like gladiolus, carnations, lilies, gerbera, roses, and anthurium are too high.
But with the great effort and hardwork, two young girls from J&K’s Udhampur District developed the town’s first cut flower polyhouse installed with the help of State government.
Many people in the Covid-19 pandemic tried to keep themselves busy by involving in some new activities. So as Vedanti Rajput who is currently doing B.A and her elder sister Aheena Rajput who is doing MBBS. While watching the videos on YouTube, both siblings came across a post about commercial cultivation of roses. After gaining more information about it they developed more and more interest in it.
The Rajput siblings decided to grow flowers provided by the Horticulture Department and approached the Director Floriculture office Jammu in March 2021. They learnt about all the formalities required to get a subsidy over commercial cultivation of flowers and types of cultivation which will suit the climate of Udhampur. They applied subsidy for the same but could not attend a capsule training programme at the Director Floriculture Office Jammu due to pandemic thus they thought to learn by watching YouTube videos about flower cultivation.
Person willing to start a project is given 50 per cent subsidy over the total cost of the project for cut flower cultivation but they need to fulfill certain documental requirements. To avail the subsidy, Arjun Singh Parihar, the Assistant Floriculture Officer (AFO) Udhampur said that a copy of land record, whether personal or leased or gifted, affidavits, estimate of the project, copies of Aadhar card and bank account needs to be submitted.
A senior Floriculture Department official said that the file is then sent to higher authorities for sanctioning. After the file gets sanctioned, work has to be started by any reputed agency which has an experience for the installation of polyhouses.
Vedanti and Aheena’s mother, Meena Sambyal said that they have received subsidy for the establishment of the structure but subsidy for the plantation is awaited.
Today, Aheena and Vedanti have two polyhouses installed one 1008 square metres for growing roses and another 945 square metres for growing gerbera on leased land at Kawa village. Till now they have grown 6,000 saplings of gerbera and 10,000 saplings of roses. For growing flowers they are using raised bed system of cultivation and for watering drip irrigation method is used.
Vedanti said that they have been praised by the district administrator for their innovative idea and she assured to provide all the help required.
Aheena said that their focus to sell the produce is not only Udhampur but also Jammu district, Katra town in Reasi district the abode of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and other districts as well.
Ashwani Kumar, the Area Marketing Officer (AMO), Horticulture, Planning and Marketing Department, J&K government said that the gerbera cuts from Rajput sisters’ polyhouses are sold after three days and roses are sold after four days. Further he added that on an average, they earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 15000 from the sale of these cut flowers after every third or fourth day but this amount is neither their profit nor loss since huge amount on establishing the polyhouse has been spent by them. He further adds that after 4-5 years, they’ll start reaping the benefits of their hard work.
Source: The Better India
