Expanding flower business in Nepal brings both opportunities and challenges to local farmers

Driven by high demand during Tihar, Nepal's floriculture industry has expanded across 54 districts to generate Rs 3.27 billion annually, supporting 50,000 jobs and generating Rs 645 million over five days, though farmers still face severe storage issues, low prices, and reliance on marigold imports

A gound of armers harvesting flowers Myagde Rural Municipality-4, Tanahun. Photo courtesy: RSS

KATHMANDU: As Tihar approaches, farmers in Gundu, Bhaktapur, are busy picking flowers and weaving garlands. Going to the fields early in the morning to pick flowers and working together with family members in the afternoon to prepare garlands has become their daily routine. These very flowers decorate someone’s home and enhance the joy of someone’s festival. However, for the farmers who produce flowers and bring them to the market, this season is also a time to balance earnings with prices and markets.

Flower cultivation in Nepal is no longer limited to the desire to decorate one’s courtyard. Connecting with commercial production, employment, trade, and export potential, it is expanding as a distinct business sector in agriculture. Spreading across 54 districts of the country, the floriculture business has started generating an annual turnover of more than Rs 3 billion. According to data from the Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN), more than 50,000 people have found direct and indirect employment in this sector.

According to FAN, commercial flower farming is taking place across approximately 250 hectares nationwide. More than 1,145 entrepreneurs are involved in this sector. Flower farming is expanding in districts including the Kathmandu Valley as well as Jhapa, Ilam, Dhankuta, Morang, Sunsari, Chitwan, Kavre, Kaski, Rupandehi, Banke, Dang, and Kailali.

In the fiscal year 2025/26, the annual turnover of the floriculture business reached Rs 3.27 billion. Compared to Rs 2.94 billion in the previous year, the turnover increased by about 12 percent in a single year. With the expansion of the commercial network spanning from flower production, nurseries, seedling production, garland making, and packaging and transportation to distribution, it has provided income opportunities ranging from farmers to traders.

As Tihar approaches, women in Gundu, Suryabinayak Municipality-7, Bhaktapur, string garlands of globe amaranth flowers. Photo courtesy: RSS

Marigold, globe amaranth, and chrysanthemum are the main commercial flowers in Nepal. Among these, an area of more than 225 hectares is being used for marigold cultivation alone. Although the demand for these flowers is high during festivals, the market for decorative flowers, cut flowers, and various species of seedlings is also expanding.

Rs 645 million turnover in five days

Understanding the market of the Nepali floriculture business is simple by looking at the Tihar trade. The demand for marigold, globe amaranth, and chrysanthemum garlands and flower heads increases significantly during this time to decorate homes, temples, offices, and public spaces. According to FAN, it is estimated that about 5.1 million flower garlands of various species will be consumed nationwide during the five days of Tihar this year.

It is projected that this will include about 4.5 million marigold garlands, 600,000 globe amaranth garlands, and 20,000 chrysanthemum garlands. Rajesh Bhakta Shrestha, President of FAN, states that the demand for mixed garlands made by combining flowers of various species is also increasing.

Apart from garlands, it is estimated that 3.5 million marigold flower heads and 800,000 potted chrysanthemums will be sold during Tihar this year. Including garlands, flower heads, and potted plants, FAN projects that the turnover of the floriculture business during the five days of Tihar will reach approximately Rs 645 million.

Visitors exploring the flower trade expo. File photo

This turnover provides work and income not only to flower-growing farmers but also to nursery operators, garland-weaving laborers, traders, and transportation business operators. However, the trend of excessively high demand during Tihar and a shrinking market at other times has made it difficult for farmers to earn a regular income throughout the year.

Self-reliant in globe amaranth flowers

Globe amaranth flowers have shown potential for both self-reliance and export in the Nepali floriculture business. FAN claims that Nepal is self-reliant in globe amaranth flowers. It is estimated that out of about 600,000 globe amaranth garlands required for Tihar this year, 400,000 will be consumed domestically and the remaining 200,000 will be exported abroad.