The country’s
first-ever wholesale flower market ‘Flower Exchange
in Pakistan’ was inaugurated at Mini Tollington Park,
on Main Boulevard, Gulberg, Wednesday.
It was jointly established by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, and Parks and Horticulture Authority. Speaking
at the inaugural ceremony, Punjab Minister for Housing,
Urban Development and Public Health Mian Shafqat Ali, appreciating
efforts of the LCCI, hoped the Flower Exchange of international
standards would play a vital role in promotion of floriculture.
He said the flower industry had a huge potential in Pakistan
for exports. He said that floriculture was an ignored sector
that could be developed by imparting training and providing
resources to flower growers.
LCCI President Muhammad Ali Mian said the economy of Pakistan
was facing numerous challenges for neglecting many areas
in which a little attention could yield huge results.
He said that the flower industry was one of those areas
that had a vast potential but had been overlooked due to
unknown reasons. He said that the flower industry was one
of the major industries in many developed and developing
countries. This industry is growing very rapidly as the
global trade volume of the flower industry had crossed the
mark of $100 billion, he said. He said that at present this
industry was growing with the rate of six percent annually.
He said that floriculture also gave premium prices almost
round the year and there was no need to wait for a long
time as compared to other crops. He said that profit against
the investment was higher. The LCCI has initiated this project
to explore the huge potential of floriculture, he added.
Provincial Minister for Labour and Manpower Shahzad Azam
Khan, Provincial Minister for Mining and Mineral Makhdoom
Afkar-ul-Hassan, PHA Director General Raja Muhammad Abbas,
LCCI Vice-President Shafqat Saeed Piracha, former vice president
Sheikh Muhammad Arshad and Sahiwal Chamber of Commerce and
Industry Chaudhry President Sultan Mehmood were also present.
Meanwhile, in a message to the LCCI, Punjab Governor Khalid
Maqbool said that the LCCI was making untiring efforts for
the betterment of economy. While lauding the establishment
of LCCI-PHA Flower Exchange, the governor termed it a step
in the right direction. He said it would not only boost
the country’s exports and but also earn huge foreign
exchange.
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