The 21st edition of Flora Expo 2018 is scheduled to be held on Friday at Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu, with an objective to promote commercial flower production and sales in Nepal.

The four-day event is being organised by the Floriculture Association of Nepal (Fan).

Fan Vice President and coordinator of the Expo Ramji Prasad Timilsina said, “The flora expo will be useful for flower entrepreneurs, consumers and enthusiasts. It will be a key event to promote floriculture in Nepal.”

The slogan of the expo is “Clean Environment and Economic Prosperity through Floriculture.”

The event will showcase 82 stalls, of which 65 will be floral stalls and 10 will be official Fan stalls. The remaining stalls comprise of four stalls dedicated to landscaping, one stall for competitive exhibition, and two food stalls.

The programme will also host a competition with various categories with the winners getting cash prizes, plaques and certificates. The ten categories are: best seasonal flower, decorative plant, blossoming flower, landscape, flower decoration, stall, cut flower (rose), cut flower (carnation), cut flower (gerbera) and cut flower (gladiolus).

Flower sales in Nepal surged to Rs1.71 billion in the last fiscal year with sales recording a double-digit growth in recent years. Urban areas have witnessed a surge in floriculture activities such as nursery-keeping and landscaping.

Cut flowers are useful for decorative purposes at homes, offices, hotels and resorts. Urban and affluent individuals tend to buy them to give as gifts during birthdays and marriages.

President of Fan Kumar Kasaju Shrestha, said that the expo is

an important medium to help floriculture business flourish in Nepal. “Besides Kathmandu, Fan organises flora expos in many places such as Butwal, Biratnagar, Dhangadhi and Pokhara to help floriculture business bloom.”

He added, “Despite challenges, we organise various programmes such as expos, seminars and discussions relevant to floriculture business in our country.”

The most popular flowers sold in the market are marigold, gladiolus, rose, tuberose, carnation, gerbera and orchid. Besides the Tihar festival, flower sales jump steeply during Valentine’s Day on February 14.

Fan organised the third international flora expo last year. Over 65,000 people visited the event and observed a total transaction worth over Rs7.5 million. Fan estimates that Friday’s expo will welcome over 60,000 visitors and observe transaction up to Rs6.5 million.