Gerbera (African Daisy) may not be a familiar flower in the State, though it is being used widely in flower bouquets for its characteristics of freshness compared to other decorative flowers.
A consortium of nine farmers in Kanthallur, supported by the Kerala State Horticulture Mission, took up gerbera cultivation in 2012. The flowers are sold in the State and Tamil Nadu. Nearly 2 hectares of land is now under gerbera cultivation. The plants are grown in greenhouses, adhering to quality norms, said Sojan Vallamattom, coordinator.
Sojan took up high-tech flower cultivation in 1996 as climatic conditions were suited to growing the plant.
Sojan said gerbera comes into flower six months after planting it. It continues to provide the crop for the next three years. “Compared to other areas, the duration of flowering is longer in Kanthallur and the superior quality of flowers brings high demand in the market,” he said. Gerbera from Kanthallur is now marketed to Chennai, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil, in addition to the main flower markets in Kerala.
The flowers are supplied to regular customers. They bear the transportation cost too, he says.
Fluctuation in prices
However, fluctuation in the market prices for gerbera has at times affected the prospects of farmers. There have been instances when they could not even supply a portion of the high demand in the market.
Gerbera, an exotic flower plant, is grown commercially in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh. Orissa and Karnataka. Kanthallur is also entering the list, though in a small scale.
