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Abstract
In India, even as flower cultivation activity moved from dormancy to infancy, a conducive policy and support from the Government concurrently resulted in commercialization. The country is bestowed with ideal temperature conditions for commercial floriculture throughout the year in some or other part. This has helped entrepreneurs and growers recognize diversification into floriculture as a commercial value. Flower cultivation in India is estimated to cover an area of 2.55 lakh ha with a production of 17,54,000 MT of loose flowers and 5.43 lakh MT (NHB, 2015). In Tamil Nadu, loose flowers are produced in an area of about 32,400 hectares with the production of 3,13,535 MT (jasmine, chrysanthemum, marigold, rose, crossandra and nerium) and cut flowers are produced in an area of 700 ha with a production of 12,900 MT of cut stems per annum. In this, cut rose is grown in 600 ha area with a production of 795 lakh stems (NHB, 2013). The Indian Floriculture market was worth INR 157 Billion in 2018. The market is further projected to reach INR 472 Billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 20.1% during 2019-2024. Tamil Nadu ranks first among the flower producing states of India. It occupies 25 % of the country’s flower production. Cut flowers are cultivated in Hosur, Nilgiris, Kodaikanal (both upper and lower palani hills) and Yercaud of Shevroyan hills. The objectives of the present study are as : To study the area and production of the selected flowers in the TamilNadu under district-wise. To evaluate the marketing practices followed by the growers of the selected flowers. To examine the various problems faced by the flower growers in TamilNadu. To offer suggestions based on the findings of the study for the prospects of flower growers. The researcher has identified the following problems:problems relating saplings and seeds, problems relating to agricultural loan by the banks, problems relating to labour in flowers cultivation, problems relating to payment of flowers , problems relating to the cultivation of flowers, problems relating to the marketing of flowers and problems associated with the department of agriculture. The study revealed that the area and production of flowers cultivation in Tamilnadu remains constant throughout of the study period but there is a fluctuation in the cultivation of flowers. Considering the current scenario of the agri-industry, it has to maintain its comparative attractiveness like others in India to grow and develop as a major industry. This would mean that the rewards to the growers should commensurate with the efforts required of them.