FNCCI President calls for policies to take Nepali flowers to global markets

KATHMANDU: Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) President Anjan Shrestha has called for new policies and programmes to help Nepali flowers reach international markets.

Addressing the 34th annual general meeting (AGM) of Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN), Shrestha said domestic flower production should meet local demand and be scaled up for global trade. He said Nepal’s favourable climate, geographical diversity and entrepreneurial determination offer strong potential for floriculture.

He called on stakeholders to adopt a 'Farm to Global Market' approach and develop a complete value chain covering seeds and saplings, modern greenhouses, cold chains, grading, packaging and branding. He added that policy stability, accessible credit, modern infrastructure and access to technology remain vital for the sector’s development.

Shrestha said the floriculture sector should become a key driver of employment, entrepreneurship, tourism and foreign exchange earnings. He also stressed the need to curb illegal and other foreign imports of flowers while promoting domestic production.

Referring to recent natural disasters, he said that severe floods and landslides affecting Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading had damaged physical infrastructure and threatened the country’s economic foundation, with widespread impacts on jobs, supply chains, revenue and business operations.

Although rescue and relief operations are the immediate priority, Shrestha urged the government to set out a clear roadmap for the transition from emergency relief to long-term recovery and reconstruction.

“The government must announce a relief package for the revival of businesses in the region. The government has announced some relief. Along with this, arrangements must be made for immediate insurance settlements, interest waivers, loan rescheduling and refinancing facilities,” he said.

Shrestha said authorities should avoid repeating past practices during reconstruction and instead build safe, modern and sustainable infrastructure suited to climate change and geographical risks. He said major market centres and settlements in flood-hit regions had been completely destroyed and urged the relocation of affected communities to safer areas.

He also called on the government to raise the issue of climate-related damage at international forums and seek compensation.

Commending FAN’s three-and-a-half-decade journey, Shrestha praised the association’s role in organising and professionalising Nepal’s floriculture industry. He said flower entrepreneurs deliver messages of hope, beauty and life alongside conducting their commercial activities.

Shrestha said FNCCI, as the umbrella organisation of the private sector, would fully collaborate with FAN and support the policy and commercial concerns raised by the association.

Addressing the event, FNCCI Vice President Naresh Lal Shrestha and FNCCI Agro Enterprise Centre (AEC) Committee Chair Shiva Kumar Ghimire said the state had paid insufficient attention to promoting the floriculture industry. They stressed that the government must provide policy and technical support for the industry’s growth.