Jajpur: The district administration will encourage the farmers to take up horticulture on a commercial scale.

District collector Ranjan Kumar Das said this at the concluding ceremony of a three-day flower show in Jajpur town on Tuesday.

He said that the district administration had set a target to increase the cultivation of flowers across the district. It will be taken up as a mission. To make it a success, centres of excellence would be opened in every block to encourage the farmers.

As the local market is able to meet around 10 per cent of the total flower requirement in our state, we have to depend on other states for the same, the collector said adding that the neighbouring Bengal alone accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the import.

"With horticulture having tremendous potential in the district, more and more farmers should cultivate flowers commercially. Young entrepreneurs, unemployed youths and women self help groups will be encouraged to undertake flower cultivation," he said.

The Jajpur district authorities are taking the mission seriously with the state government planning to increase the production of flowers in the state.

Das said the state government was taking effective steps to double the income of farmers.

Flowers such as rose, marigold, foal foot, moon bleam, dahlia, china rose, shoe floe, jasmine, white tulip, Indian tuberose and lotus are the most sought after flowers in Jajpur district.

"The farmers can more than double their income by cultivating flowers to meet the requirements of temples and shrines, marriage and festive seasons," he said.

The district administration is encouraging flower growers to boost production in a big way.

"We have discussed the matter with the district horticulture officer and he is motivating the farmers, especially the young farmers, to go for flower cultivation on a commercial basis to double their income," he said.

Urging the farmers and entrepreneurs to take the opportunity, the collector also advised them to contact horticulture department so that they might benefit from the various schemes being implemented by the state government for flower cultivation.