The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated on July 8 that the people of Indian origin in the United States and Dubai (UAE) will now be able to use fresh flowers from Tamil Nadu during their worship rituals.
In a press statement, the ministry informed that consignments of Geographical Indications (GI) certified traditional flowers like Madurai malli, button rose, lily, chamanthi and marigold were exported from Tamil Nadu to the US and Dubai.
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It is informed that scientists from the floriculture department of Coimbatore -based Tamil Nadu Agriculture University have helped the exporters to utilis packaging technologies to extend the shelf life of the flowers. The exporters contacted farmers to plant high-quality flowers, and the programme has generated employment opportunity for 160 workers including 130 women.
Registered with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Coimbatore-based Vanguard Exports, the company that exported the flowers sourced the flowers for the consignments from Nilakottai, Dindigul, and Sathyamangalam, Tamil Nadu.
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“Direct contacts with the farmers to cultivate quality flowers were undertaken by the exporters and the initiative generated employment for about 130 women workers and about 30 skilled workers,” the release stated.
In 2020-2021, fresh cut jasmine flowers and bouquets (comprising jasmine and other traditional flowers) valued at Rs 662.8 millions were exported to countries like the USA, UAE and Singapore. Floral consignments worth Rs 118.4 millions were exported from the Tamil Nadu region alone.
