Nepal to Export 200,000 Globe Amaranth Garlands for the Tihar Festival

Nepal is set to export around 200,000 garlands of globe amaranth flowers for the upcoming Tihar festival. Last year, the country exported approximately 150,000 garlands of this flower, according to the Floriculture Association of Nepal.

Chairperson of the association, Dilip Bade, noted that there is high demand for globe amaranth garlands, particularly in the USA, Japan, Australia, South Korea, various European nations, and the Gulf, driven by the growing Nepali diaspora.

Floriculture in Nepal has expanded to 52 districts, including the Kathmandu Valley, Kaski, Chitwan, Makawanpur, Kavrepalanchowk, Gulmi, Palpa, Dhading, and Morang. However, the country remains dependent on imports for marigold flowers, another key floral item for Tihar. This year, around four million marigold garlands are needed, but domestic production stands at only 2.5 million, with the deficit being met by imports from India.

Bade added that the demand for marigold garlands has been rising by 15-20% annually. This year’s demand has surged by an additional 700,000 garlands compared to last year, when it was around 3.3 million garlands.

The floriculture sector in Nepal faced a loss of approximately Rs 150 million due to continuous rainfall in late September. Currently, 450 species of flowers are cultivated commercially on 221 hectares, benefiting over 44,000 people nationwide, the association reported. -- RSS