North Garo Hills identifies Dendrobium & Vanda orchids to boost floriculture mission
Govt engages North Bengal Floritech
Resubelpara, Nov 10: North Garo Hills District has identified Dendrobium and Vanda orchids as the focus crops under the Floriculture Mission
A media team from Shillong visited two Dendrobium sites here on November 9.
Dendrobium is being popularised due to to their adaptability to the prevailing climatic conditions.
The beneficiaries hoped that the cultivation of the high-value orchid species will boost sustainable livelihood opportunity, improve farm income, and contribute to the development of a commercial floriculture sector in the district.
Assistant director, horticulture, Resubelpara Carlos Sangma said for the successful implementation of the Floriculture Mission in North Garo Hills, the government has partnered with North Bengal Floritech, an experienced floriculture service provider. The agency is responsible for providing technical guidance, quality planting materials, infrastructure support, and assured marketing through a three-year buy-back mechanism, enabling farmers to adopt commercial orchid cultivation with reduced market risk.
He said the Floriculture Mission, a flagship initiative of the government is aimed at transforming the state into a leading floriculture hub in Northeast.
Launched in March 2024, the mission promotes the cultivation of high-value flowers, generates sustainable livelihood opportunities, and enhances farmers’ incomes through scientific and commercial floriculture practices.
The mission focuses on the cultivation of commercially valuable flowers such as Orchids (Dendrobium, Cymbidium, Vanda and Phalaenopsis) and Oriental Lilium, which have s demand in domestic and international markets. Beneficiary farmers receive financial assistance of covering planting materials, infrastructure development, and capacity-building programmes.
Key objectives of Mission
- To establish Meghalaya as a leading floriculture hub in the Northeast and India.
- To increase farmers’ income through the cultivation of high-value flower crops with strong market demand.
- To promote climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture by encouraging floriculture as an alternative and profitable farming enterprise.
- To provide quality planting materials, infrastructure, and technical training for scientific flower cultivation.
- To develop flower production clusters and strengthen market linkages through buy-back arrangements and professional support agencies.
- To create employment opportunities and diversify rural livelihoods, particularly among farming communities.
- To strengthen post-harvest management, storage, and logistics infrastructure for efficient marketing of flowers.
By leveraging Meghalaya’s favourable agro-climatic conditions, the Floriculture Mission aims to develop a vibrant floriculture sector that contributes to rural prosperity, employment generation, and sustainable agricultural growth.
