Sabuja Sanatanpali Farmer Producer Company Limited (SSFPCL), Odisha's first floriculture-based farmer producer organization (FPO), has signed an MoU with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow, to promote research in floriculture.
Facilitated by consulting firm Palladium, the collaboration will focus on enhancing crop diversity, understanding plant-environment interactions, and applying biotechnological approaches for plant improvement to promote economic viability.
The FPO is among the first in Odisha to incorporate institutional applied research in its operational model to adapt to climate change and boost flower production and marketing efforts.
Odisha, with 6,500 hectares dedicated to floriculture, produces approximately 24,800 tonnes of loose flowers and about 5,500 lakh cut flowers annually. However, this output meets only 10 per cent of the state's demand, and it sources the rest from major centres like Kolkata, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad. This shortfall presents a lucrative opportunity for local entrepreneurs to venture into floriculture, a sector poised for growth.
Read more at thehindubusinessline.com