Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Apr 1: Every morning Waseem Ahmad Wani (26) leaves his home with a variety of flower saplings towards Srinagar-Baramulla highway.
He stations at multiple places along the highway selling a variety of native as well as exotic flower saplings to the people.
This has been his routine during the spring and summer seasons for the last three years and gives him enough returns to make ends meet.
“I was earlier working in a private company which gave me a very low salary. In 2021, I learned about the scope of floriculture in Kashmir and utilized my five marlas of agriculture land growing a variety of follower saplings,” he said.
Wani said he sought assistance from the floriculture department in growing exotic flower saplings. “I installed a greenhouse and bought some exotic seeds to grow them here. I am now making good money out of this trade and I shall expand it to grow some more varieties in coming years,” he said.
Like Wani scores of the educated youth are exploring commercial floriculture to generate income and employment.
Traditionally known for its saffron cultivation, the region is now embracing the blooming flower industry as a promising avenue for economic growth.
In recent years, several entrepreneurs have ventured into floriculture, drawn by the region’s conducive climate and fertile soil, combined with increasing demand for flowers both domestically and internationally.
These start-ups are not only redefining the agricultural sector but also providing employment opportunities and contributing to the socio-economic development of the valley.
Another such start-up is “Kashmir Blossoms,” founded by Muneer Shah, a young entrepreneur with a passion for floriculture. Shah, a native of Kashmir, recognized the potential of the flower industry and decided to capitalize on it. “Kashmir has a rich tradition of floriculture, and I saw an opportunity to modernize it by focusing on high-value flowers,” said Shah.
Shah who hails from Narbal area said as many as 30 families in the village have been associated with commercial floriculture for the last three years. “It was me who started this business in my village and now we have more than 30 such businesses in my area,” he said.
Moreover, the government’s supportive policies and initiatives aimed at promoting floriculture have further propelled the growth of startups in the sector.
Officials said the subsidies on equipment, technical assistance, and access to markets have encouraged more individuals to venture into floriculture, thereby diversifying Kashmir’s agricultural economy.
