Hosur: An international flower auction
centre is likely to come up in this major hub of floriculture.
The town now handles more than 35 per cent of the cut flowers
traded in the country. Roses are cultivated on about 500
ha in the region. The region has more than 20 hi-tech floriculture
units spread over 120 ha.
The plan is for an auction centre on the lines of the International
Flower Auction Centre (IFAB) in Bangalore. IFAB gets a major
chunk of the flowers handled by it from the Hosur region.
The establishment of an auction centre here has the potential
to reduce transportation costs and provide direct marketing
support for small and marginal farmers from the region.
It is meant to have facilities for cold storage and packing,
for both buyers and growers.
A state-of-the-art electronic auction system and facilities
for online bidding for cut flowers are envisaged.
Informed sources said that two hectares of land had been
identified for the purpose near Hosur. The financial and
operational viability of the project were being worked out.
Tanflora, a joint venture between the Tamil Nadu Industrial
Development Corporation (TIDCO) and private promoters, is
the country’s first Agri Export Zone (AEZ) for cut
roses and one of the largest such facilities.
The district administration has decided to involve youngsters
and small retailers to set up model nurseries in clusters
under the National Horticulture Mission. The State already
has four such clusters at Thally, Kelamangalam and Berigai.
Tanflora has established infrastructural facilities for
small and marginal farmers in and around the park. It will
help small farmers and private entrepreneurs to put up polygreen
houses, in selecting varieties and in marketing.
The sources said Hosur’s potential in the floriculture
industry remains largely untapped. |
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