Floriculturists urge Punjab Govt to set up first flower mandi in Ludhiana

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, July 8

Floriculturists from across the state have asked the government to establish the first flower mandi at a centralised location.

The state government has asked the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to conduct a survey and gauge the response of flower growers regarding the proposal of setting up of a mandi in Mohali.

Members of the Punjab Agricultural University Flower Growers Club said the flower mandi should be set up at a centralised location — Ludhiana.

They said, “Floriculture is one of the fastest-growing sector in the state. Without a centralised marketplace, farmers are unable to get good returns for their produce.”

Gurpreet Singh Shergill, a resident of Patiala, said, “There are over 1,000 flower growers across the state who are associated with the Punjab Agricultural University Flower Growers Club. We had met Horticulture Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra and urged him to establish a flower mandi.”

“The government is looking to open the flower mandi at the defunct Punjab Mandi Board building in Mohali. We want the mandi to be established in Ludhiana, which is centrally located. It will be unfair for a grower sitting in Ferozepur or Amritsar to ferry the flowers to Mohali. Rather, this market will benefit the growers of Haryana and Himachal who are already selling their produce in bigger markets like Delhi,” said Shergill, adding that Ludhiana was the highest producer and consumer of flowers in the state.

Dr Dalbir Singh, nodal officer, Department of Horticulture, said, “The NABARD is carrying out a survey about the viability of the project and will submit its report. As building of the Punjab Mandi Board is not in use, the higher authorities ordered to start a vegetable and flower mandi. However, it has been decided to seek the opinion of the flower growers and experts from the PAU.”

Karanveer Singh, a Jalandhar-based floriculturists, said, “From the perspective of setting up a flower mandi, Ludhiana is an ideal location. However, when it comes to export, Mohali offers better air connectivity. Further, Ludhiana is the biggest consumer of flowers and already has an existing dealer network.”

Dr Parminder Singh, Head Floriculture Department, PAU, said, “If the setting of a flower mandi is aimed at facilitating the flower growers from the entire north zone, then it should be established in Mohali. But if it is aimed at helping the farmers, then the mandi should be established in Ludhiana. It won’t be viable for flower growers of border districts to travel to Mohali to sell their produce.”