Officials of Jharkhand State Horticulture Mission visit farmer Shyamdhani Mahto’s plot in Itki. File picture

Ranchi, June 21: The state’s flower basket will soon get branded.

Buoyed by an increase in flower cultivation, Jharkhand State Horticulture Mission will now set up flower kiosks —christened Surabhi — in the state capital, East Singhbhum, Dhanbad and Bokaro.

Horticulture authorities under state agriculture department, who implement the tasks of National Horticulture Mission, will rope in partners for the kiosks in a public-private-partnership mode.

Last week, the horticulture mission invited expressions of interest from prospective bidders, who are expected to have three years of experience at least in flower cultivation, packaging, post-harvest management and value-added techniques. The last date for submitting applications is July 4.

Mission director Prabhakar Singh said: “We aim to rope in experienced partners to help rural growers, who at present sell flowers at paltry prices.” Enthused about its commercial prospects, Singh said Jharkhand had three climatic conditions —temperate, sub-tropical and tropical — to grow a wide variety of flowers.

Blooms grown in Jharkhand include gerbera, marigold, gladiolus, rose and tuberose, among others. The mission claims the state now boasts a total floriculture area of 1,400 acre in four districts. Earlier figures were minuscule.

Shyamdhani Mahto, a Palma village farmer in Itki block who grows marigold and gerbera on his four-acre plot, welcomed the idea of flower kiosks. “We sell marigold garlands at Rs 3-4 a piece, which is retailed at Rs 10 each. We have been told that if the government comes up with shops, we will get better prices,” said Mahto.

Mahto said farmers like him individually sold flowers worth Rs 25,000 per harvest. “If we get good prices the amount will double,” he beamed.

Aloke Dey, a Lalpur-based flower retailer, said produce sourced from local growers in large quantities would be more profitable for traders like him. “Customers too will get flowers at less rates,” he said.

Sanjay Kumar, who looks after marketing at the horticulture mission, said farmers were enthusiastic about floriculture as it gave better returns than kharif and rabi crops.

At present, Jharkhand imports flowers from Bengal, Orissa and the south.