Floriculture in India: Traditional Practices and Modern Innovations

India’s relationship with flowers goes back thousands of years. Ancient Sanskrit texts like the Rig Veda, Ramayana, and Mahabharata all contain references to flowers and gardens. Today, that deep cultural bond has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry. With approximately 2,85,000 hectares under cultivation and a combined production exceeding 3.2 million metric tonnes, India is the second-largest producer of flowers globally, trailing only China. From marigold garlands at temples to precision-grown roses destined for European markets, floriculture in India is a compelling story of tradition meeting modern agribusiness.

What is floriculture? 🔗

Floriculture is a specialised branch of horticulture focused on the cultivation, processing, and marketing of ornamental plants and flowers. It covers a wide range of products – cut flowers, loose flowers, potted plants, dried flowers, cut foliage, flower seeds, bulbs, and value-added products such as essential oils and natural dyes. The Government of India has recognised floriculture as a “sunrise industry” with 100% export-oriented status, underscoring its economic potential. The Economic Survey 2024-25 also acknowledged that commercial floriculture offers higher returns per unit area than many traditional field crops, making it a lucrative venture for farmers across the country.

Traditional flower cultivation in India 🔗

For centuries, flowers have been woven into the fabric of Indian daily life. The offering and exchange of flowers at social events, in places of worship, and for personal adornment – such as women wearing flowers in their hair – are deeply rooted customs across the subcontinent. This traditional demand has sustained flower cultivation as a core agricultural activity for generations.

Flowers in religion, festivals, and social life 🔗

Jasmine, marigold, lotus, crossandra, and tuberose are among the most commonly grown flowers for traditional purposes. Marigolds hold a central place in Hindu festivals like Diwali and Durga Puja, where they are used in garlands, decorations, and religious offerings. Jasmine is indispensable in South Indian worship, weddings, and personal adornment. Roses – particularly scented varieties – have historically been sold as loose flowers for temple offerings and for extracting essential oils used in perfumery.

These traditional flowers are typically grown in open fields, often on small and marginal landholdings, and sold as loose flowers – individual blooms traded by weight or in bunches rather than arranged into formal bouquets. The loose flower segment continues to be the largest category in India’s domestic floriculture market, driven by consistent demand from religious institutions, weddings, and cultural celebrations.

Key traditional flower crops 🔗

Marigold occupies the largest area among traditional loose flower crops and is cultivated across the country. Both African marigold (larger blooms) and French marigold (smaller flowers) varieties are grown, though African types dominate. Jasmine is particularly popular in southern states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, where it plays a vital role in cultural practices. Tuberose (Rajnigandha) is grown extensively in West Bengal and parts of the northern plains for use in garlands, wreaths, and perfumery. Crossandra is another important loose flower crop, especially in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, used widely in hair decoration and temple offerings.

India’s major flower-producing states 🔗

India’s diverse agro-climatic conditions allow year-round flower production across different regions. However, a few states dominate the national output. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), Tamil Nadu leads with about 21% of the national production, followed by Karnataka at 16%, Madhya Pradesh at 14%, and West Bengal at 12%.

Tamil Nadu 🔗

Tamil Nadu is India’s top flower-producing state, renowned for its jasmine, marigold, and crossandra cultivation. The state benefits from a favourable tropical climate and strong local demand driven by temple culture and festivals. Districts like Madurai, Dindigul, and Tiruchirappalli are important flower-growing hubs.

Karnataka 🔗

Karnataka is significant both for traditional loose flowers and modern cut flower production. Bengaluru and its surrounding areas – particularly Hosur – have become key centres for export-oriented rose cultivation under greenhouse conditions. Indian roses grown in the Bengaluru and Pune regions have strong demand in European and UK markets.

Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal 🔗

Andhra Pradesh has been a frontrunner in adopting advanced techniques like drip irrigation and shade net cultivation to boost flower quality. The state grows flowers for both domestic consumption and export. West Bengal, especially the area around Kolkata, is a major producer of tuberose, marigold, and gladiolus, with its flower markets supplying large parts of eastern India.

Maharashtra and other states 🔗

Maharashtra, particularly the Pune region, is home to many export-oriented floriculture units producing roses, gerberas, and carnations under protected cultivation. The state’s proximity to Mumbai provides excellent logistics for both domestic sales and air-freighted exports. States like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana also contribute meaningfully to overall production, each with their own specialised crops and growing conditions.

The shift to commercial cut flower production 🔗

While traditional loose flower cultivation remains the backbone of India’s floriculture, a significant shift toward cut flower production has occurred over the past few decades. Cut flowers – blooms harvested with stems for use in bouquets, floral arrangements, and decorations – have grown rapidly due to rising urban affluence, western cultural influences, and expanding export opportunities.

Why cut flowers gained momentum 🔗

The liberalisation of India’s economy in the early 1990s was a turning point. Trade policy reforms made it feasible to import elite planting material of international flower varieties, and the new seed policy encouraged foreign direct investment in the sector. Entrepreneurs, particularly in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh, began setting up export-oriented floriculture units in technical collaboration with Dutch and Israeli experts. These units focused primarily on high-value roses, with some also growing carnations, gerberas, orchids, and liliums.

Cities like Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi, and Hyderabad emerged as major hubs for cut flower production, with clusters of greenhouse-based operations supplying both domestic and international markets. In FY24, India produced an estimated 9,47,000 metric tonnes of cut flowers alongside 22,84,000 metric tonnes of loose flowers.

Important cut flower crops 🔗

Rose is the most important cut flower in India. While scented rose varieties have long been sold as loose flowers, newer hybrid varieties like First Red, Grand Gala, Tineke, and Noblesse are grown under greenhouses specifically for the cut flower trade. Gladiolus is the second most popular cut flower, now grown extensively in the northern plains of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. Gerbera and carnation are high-value greenhouse crops gaining popularity in weddings, corporate events, and interior decoration. Orchids, particularly Dendrobiums and Phalaenopsis, are commercially viable in India’s northeastern states and parts of Kerala and Karnataka.

Protected cultivation and modern technology 🔗

One of the most important innovations in Indian floriculture has been the adoption of protected cultivation – growing flowers inside greenhouses, polyhouses, shade net houses, and plastic tunnels. This approach allows growers to control temperature, humidity, light, and ventilation, enabling year-round production of high-quality blooms regardless of external weather conditions.

Greenhouse and polyhouse technology 🔗

Modern polyhouses in India use specialised polyethylene films (typically 200 microns thick) stretched over galvanised iron frames. These structures range from simple naturally ventilated types – suitable for smallholder farmers – to fully climate-controlled fan-and-pad greenhouses with computerised monitoring systems. The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) has played a key role in promoting protected cultivation by providing subsidies that can offset up to 50-65% of initial setup costs. Leading states for protected cultivation include Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Drip irrigation and fertigation 🔗

Automated drip irrigation systems are now standard in commercial flower farms, delivering precise amounts of water and nutrients directly to the root zone. This technology significantly improves water-use efficiency – a critical advantage in water-scarce regions – while ensuring consistent flower quality. Fertigation, the practice of combining fertiliser application with drip irrigation, allows growers to fine-tune nutrient delivery based on specific crop requirements and growth stages.

Cold chain and post-harvest infrastructure 🔗

Cut flowers are highly perishable, losing quality rapidly after harvest. Building an effective cold chain – from pre-cooling units at the farm to refrigerated transport and cold storage at airports and market hubs – has been essential for India’s floriculture exports. APEDA provides subsidies for establishing pre-cooling units, cold storage facilities, and refrigerated vans to strengthen this infrastructure.

India’s floriculture exports 🔗

India’s floriculture export sector has shown steady growth, driven by both fresh cut flowers and dried flower products. In FY24, the country exported approximately 19,678 metric tonnes of floriculture products valued at around ₹717.83 crore. In FY25, export figures rose further, with the country shipping 21,024 metric tonnes worth ₹749 crore to international markets.

Top export destinations 🔗

The United States is the top destination for Indian floriculture exports, followed by the Netherlands – a major global hub for flower trade – the UAE, the UK, Canada, Germany, and Malaysia. The product mix is dominated by fresh and dried cut flowers, which account for about 72% of total floriculture exports. Foliage and other plant parts contribute roughly 17%, while rooted cuttings and spawn make up about 10%.

The dry flower segment 🔗

India’s dry flower industry is a unique strength. Dried flowers, unlike fresh ones, do not require cold chain infrastructure and have an extended shelf life, making them accessible to smaller producers and exporters. Traditional flowers like statice, globe amaranth, ornamental grasses, and various seed pods are cultivated or collected specifically for drying and processing. India exports dried flowers to the USA, Europe, Japan, Australia, and Russia. This segment combines traditional preservation techniques with modern processing and packaging, and has carved out a strong niche in international markets for decorative arrangements, crafts, and home décor.

Government support and institutional framework 🔗

The Indian government has been proactive in supporting the floriculture industry through multiple schemes and institutions.

APEDA and export promotion 🔗

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce, is the nodal body responsible for export promotion and development of floriculture in India. APEDA provides financial assistance for developing infrastructure like greenhouses, cold storage, and packaging facilities. It also offers air freight subsidies and supports market development initiatives. Additionally, 100% Export Oriented Units (EOUs) in floriculture receive benefits like duty-free imports of capital goods and income-tax holidays.

National Horticulture Mission and MIDH 🔗

The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) provides subsidies for polyhouse construction, shade net houses, drip irrigation systems, and other infrastructure essential for modern floriculture. These subsidies have been instrumental in bringing small and marginal farmers – who constitute over 96% of total landholdings and about 63% of the area under floriculture cultivation – into commercial flower production. State-level horticulture departments also run their own incentive programmes tailored to local conditions and crops.

Challenges facing Indian floriculture 🔗

Despite impressive growth, the industry faces several challenges. Inadequate cold chain infrastructure remains a major bottleneck, leading to significant post-harvest losses – particularly for cut flowers destined for distant markets. High initial investment for greenhouse setup can be a barrier for small farmers, even with subsidies. Competition from established flower-exporting countries like the Netherlands, Kenya, Colombia, and Ecuador puts pressure on Indian producers to maintain quality and competitive pricing. Limited availability of high-quality planting material, fragmented land holdings, unorganised marketing channels, and gaps in technical knowledge among farmers are additional hurdles that need systematic attention.

The road ahead for Indian floriculture 🔗

The Indian floriculture market was valued at approximately INR 292 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 10-11% over the coming decade. Several factors support this optimism. Rising urbanisation and disposable incomes are driving domestic demand for both everyday and occasion-based flowers. The growing culture of gifting bouquets, decorating event venues, and beautifying homes is expanding the consumer base beyond traditional religious and cultural use.

Emerging opportunities in India’s northeastern states – where crops like orchids and anthuriums thrive due to favourable high-altitude climatic conditions – are opening new frontiers. The successful pilot export of Anthurium flowers from Mizoram to Singapore demonstrates what coordinated institutional support and farmer training can achieve. Meanwhile, the growing use of flowers as raw materials in perfumery, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, natural dyes, and food products is diversifying the industry’s revenue streams well beyond the traditional flower market.

What do you think? Given that India is already the world’s second-largest flower producer, what steps do you think are most critical for the country to become a leading global exporter? And how can traditional flower growers be better integrated into the modern commercial floriculture supply chain?

References

1. https://www.fao.org/4/ac452e/ac452e04.htm
2. https://www.ibef.org/research/case-study/india-s-floriculture-sector-blooming-with-export-potential-and-rural-prosperity
3. https://apeda.gov.in/Floriculture
4. https://desagri.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2017-18-An-Economic-Analysis-of-Protected-Cultivation-under-MIDH-in-Himalayan-States.pdf