Mangalore/Bangalore May
2, 2008: The second largest flower market in the state-Mangalore
has lost out on getting its own flower auction centre. Thanks
to the disinterestedness of the city?s flower merchants
and retail sellers. The International Flower Auction Bangalore
(IFAB) Limited a joint stock company that works on line
with the APMC has left out Mangalore as one of the centres.
The IFAB as it is known every day auctions all kinds of
flowers, exotic and local. The IFAB has identified six centres
to come up during next year. The list includes Udupi, Chikkanahalli,
Madikeri, Davanagere, Belgaum and Sirsi. These centres when
come up will connect themselves to the Hub in Bangalore.
The flower merchants citing reasons for not joining the
IFAB told Mangalorean.com that the IFAB model works on the
hub and spoke model, and all the produce grown by the growers
will be procured, graded and rated centrally. Why Mangalore
did not join the Hub was the simple reason that this system
will not work in the prevailing market conditions particularly
for conventional flowers like jasmine which is one of the
high value produce in the market for growers in Dakshina
Kannada. The growers would rather join the export market
hub specially for Jasmine. With Mangalorean Jasmine getting
the GI tag recently this produce has become an international
favourite and could sustain itself even when left out of
the IFAB hub.
The Karnataka state which has taken floriculture seriously
has its own scheme of its own for development of floriculture.
The state has its own floriculture policy also. The National
Horticulture Mission has also upheld the floriculture with
its own observations.
The interactive meeting held by the IFAB on Thursday at
Hebbal in near Bangalore has deliberated several issues
that were affecting the effective marketing of the Indian
exotic varieties of flowers. The IFAB has also taken a hard
look at the marketing facilities and export facilities for
the Indian grown exotic flowers. The captains of the floriculture
also discussed on the wastage of floricultural produce at
the auctioning centres which has to be further strengthened. |
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