Odisha Chief Secretary inaugurates Annual Flower Show-2016 in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar, Jan 9: Annual Flower Show- 2016 has been inaugurated by Chief Secretary Sri Aditya Prasad Padhi today morning here in the premises of, Nayapalli. Replying to a media query at the inauguration, Sri Padhi said that floriculture in Odisha offers growing business & employment generation opportunities.
Govt have put in place the supporting mechanism and various schemes for promotion of the floriculture and its trade. Being an entrepreneur driven and Govt supported event, added Sri Padhi, this exhibition is gaining increasing popularity each year with more and more business prospects. The exhibition is scheduled to be held for 2 days up to 10th January, 2016.
The Chief Secretary accompanied by Principal Secretary Forest & Environment Sri Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, who joined the exhibition as Guest of Honour , Director, Horticulture Sri Susant Nanada, President Plant Lovers Association Sri Khirod Pattnaik along with other guests and dignitaries visited various sections of the Exhibition like cut-flower, flower arrangement , floral displays, plant bazar, mini-garden, mini-forest, nurseries and exhibition stalls. 27 nurseries along with 16 agro-business farms have participated in the exhibition and interacted with the participants.
Chief Secretary Sri Padhi discussed with participating agro-farms and flower farmers regarding their business activities and future road-map. On this occasion Chief Secretary also inaugurated 2 books-entitled Carnivorous Plants of Odisha authored by Sri Prasad Kumar Das and 24th Volume of the Journal Sabujima published by Plant Lovers Association.
This year around 88 gardens have participated in it. The number of participants in cut flower, flower arrangement, group display potted flowering foliage categories have increased up to 500. Various competitions in flower decoration, cut flower and garden display varieties were organized. The gardens situated within 20 kms radius of Bhubaneswar were included in the competitions.
The subject experts from OUAT have been nominated as judges for various competitions. Around 61 individuals and institutions have been selected for prizes in various categories of competitions. A plant bazaar has been organized in the exhibition where ornamental plants, flowering plants, seeds, fertilizers, implements, garden tools, pesticides are being made available to the people on sale.
The exhibition is being organized each year since 2005 on 2nd Saturday and Sunday of the month of January, Last year around 1,00,000 plant lovers visited the exhibition. This year the number of visitors are likely to increase said Dr P.C. Panda, Principal Scientist of Regional Plant Resource Center (RPRC), Bhubaneswar. The RPRC in collaboration with the Plant Lovers Association, Bhubaneswar has organized this exhibition.