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CHENNAI, Dec. 30

THE Tamil Nadu Government plans to set up an agri export zone for floriculture in the Nilgiris, according to an official press release.

The State Government will shortly enter into a MoU with the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority to set up the agri export zone at a cost of Rs 15.89 crore. To be set up jointly with the private sector, the project will have the State Government providing the basic infrastructure facilities such as civil works, power and water.

When contacted by Business Line, officials said the export zone for floriculture would focus on flowers unique to the region. The flowers such as orchids which grow in temperate climates have a high value in the international market.

But the local farmers have to depend on merchandise exporters based in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Therefore, in the absence of marketing capacity the farmers' remuneration is low. The export zone would tackle these gaps, they said.

The commercial advantage is that with the agro-climatic conditions ideal for cultivating these varieties, the investment on infrastructure such as green house could be reduced.

This will significantly help the investor cut back on initial costs.

For instance, to set up similar facilities in the plains in Hosur, another major floriculture centre, the investment would be about Rs 2-2.5 crore per hectare against Rs 1.5 crore in the Nilgiris, they said.

This will be the second floriculture export zone. The first planned in the Hosur-Dharmapuri region focuses on cut flower cultivation.

The private player has been identified for the cut flower export zone with the project dovetailed into the Tanflora Infrastructure Park, the industrial park dedicated for floriculture units.

This makes the Nilgiris agri export zone, the third such facility including the export zone for mangoes to be promoted in Theni.

The State Government planned to set up at least eight such export zones including one for bananas in Tiruchi, medicinal plants in Tuticorin, and cashew in Perambalur, Panruti and Sivaganga, sources said.

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