Value addition in Floriculture: A review

Abstract

Floriculture is presently considered as the most lucrative agro-enterprise in terms of profit making. During the peak season of festivals, religious ceremonies, valentine's day and marriages there is a great demand of flowers and farmer get a good price but during glut, the demand is less and supply is more, thus farmers do not get remunerative price. Due to highly perishable in nature, most of these flowers are being wasted, therefore, value addition is a very good alternative to avoid wastage during glut. So, value addition is an alternate important arena to reduce the losses by proper utilization of fresh flowers and ornamentals with increase in net profit and farm income. Value addition is a process of changing a product from its original state to more valuable state. It improves both postharvest technologies and logistics. Value addition provides an opportunity of employment generation to earn money and making profit. Different kinds of value-added products are now-a-days formulated which include essential oils, pharmaceutical and neutraceutical compounds, jam, jelly, gulkand, gulroghan, potpourri, rose water, insect repellants, floral dyes, floral tea (rose, chrysanthemum, jasmine, hibiscus etc.), edible flowers like chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, nasturtium, calendua, tulips, rose, dahlia, etc. Vitamin C is isolated from rose fruits (hips) and is marketed as "rose hip", and vitamin C is also used for the cure of scurvy. Marigold flowers are richest source of lutein which possess curative properties to cure blindness. The Xanthopylls extracted from the dried marigold petals are mixed in the poultry feed to intensify the yellow colour in egg yolk and flesh colour of broiler chicken. The crafting in floriculture like art of cut and loose flower arrangements, hair adornments, dry flower products etc. are gaining momentum and popularising in our country. Women at small scale can set up small enterprises where floral crafting in the form of bouquets, garlands, veni, flower arrangements in containers, dry flower making, etc. that has high potential for earning and improving livelihood.