ISLAMABAD, May 19: The Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board (PHDEB) has developed a plan to establish Floriculture Common Facility Farms (FCFF) in each province to enable farmers grow export quality flowers on large scale.

This is the first initiative to produce flowers for export at national level. Punjab would be taken as a model and later replicated with slight modifications as per geographical conditions of each province.

According to an official document, the size of the first FCFF is proposed to be 30 hectares (75 acres). Each farm, within the zone, would be of two hectares (1.5 hectare greenhouse plus 0.5 hectare open space).

Total investment of FCFF shall be in the range of Rs80 million. This would include development land, provision of common facilities like drip irrigation, cold storage, packinghouse, etc., on nominal charges. Sale and marketing would also be the responsibility of FCFF, which, after deduction of expenses and nominal margin, would pass on the balance to the individual units in shape of price.

Profit earned by FCFF shall be used to develop the zone, provide technical training to farmers through local and foreign consultants, a modern laboratory and on marketing. Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of the project is approximately 24 per cent. The FCFF zone would be managed by a private limited company.

The multi-billion dollar international flower market which has employed millions of people worldwide is changing very rapidly. Many more flowers are needed year round for the fast developing impulse sales in the mass-market. These will have to be produced under the most competitive conditions.

Many countries are getting into ‘cut-flower’ production both for domestic consumption and for export. Each country has its own limitations in the form of logistics which could dictate where the flowers are sold.

Cultivation under controlled environment of greenhouses is recommended to overcome weather conditions and to provide most suitable growing environment for top quality and high yield. Greenhouse cultivation is an expensive medium and can be out of reach of individual farmers. Under FCFF, the cost of each farmer would be substantially low, as key facilities would be as key facilities would be provided by the zone.

Holland is the world’s flower market leader with about 65 per cent of total sales of flowers and plants. It is also market leader by supplying all kinds of young plant material, seed, equipment and they have a very high standard and updated with the latest trends and techniques.