Farmers of West Bengal’s hilly area prefer flower farming

Siliguri: The floriculture sector is booming across the country. Several farmers have switched to flower farming from traditional cultivation because the demand for flowers has been increasing in India. It is being used on all occasions, such as elections, festivals, and marriages. In winter, marriages take place on a large scale, so the florists have a good time to earn a huge income.

In the hilly areas of West Bengal, farmers are taking a lot of interest in flower farming. One of the flower farmers, Buddhadeb Roy, from the Tawajote area in the Jalash Nijamtara region of Phansidewa, has been harvesting marigold flowers along with other crops. He has been successfully growing marigolds for the past eight years in addition to other crops, fetching a good income.

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The Phansidewa block of Siliguri is known for its agriculture, where locals are involved in farming throughout the year. Many farmers in the region, like Buddhadeb, grow marigolds across several acres of land. This year, Buddhadeb has cultivated marigolds on almost 6 bighas of land.

Buddhadeb further mentioned that marigolds have an excellent market demand, and they are grown in several colours like yellow, orange, and red. Every morning, he harvests the flowers, makes garlands, and takes them to the wholesale market in Siliguri. The flower market is very satisfactory; therefore, farmers are getting rewards as per their labour. The demand remains steady throughout the year. On special occasions, its demand increases.