Floriculture a profitable livelihood option flourishing lives of many

“Despite my relentless efforts to find a white collar job to help my poor family, I failed. Having no other way to earn a living, I adopted gardening as a hobby on a small piece of land of my house. With change of time, my flower plants started occupying good space in the flower market of the state with monthly turnover. As this floriculture farm can fetch me good income as that of a government employee, it has been a thriving business for the unemployed youths now. If our youths, instead of whiling away time and sitting idle, adopt this business, it will be a great way out for generating self-employment”, said Nanao Gurumayum, a florist by profession.

32 years old Nanao Sharma passed matriculation from Dharmalaya High School and class XII from Standard College, Kongba. He is married and a father of one son. Inspired by his love for flowers and gardening since childhood, he adopted floriculture as a hobby.

Nanao Gurumayum is a successful florist who, under the brand ‘Gaminash Nursery’ houses a number of flower plants, fruit plants, trees bulbs, foliages, cacti succulents, orchids, Manures, Pesticides, Seeds, Landscape Garden planning and designing across the state in his farm. Varieties of flower plants are made available to public at his farm, Bamon Leikai at the following rates- Rose at Rs.150, Cape Jasmine at Rs.250, Ardesiya at Rs.1500, Lemon at Rs.100, Bokul at Rs.100, Leihao at Rs.140, Kaboklei at Rs.40, Tejpata at Rs.30, Prime Rose at Rs.100, Lilium at Rs.200, Aastronariya at Rs.750, Rajaniganda at Rs.400 and so on.

 A progressive farmer, Nanao Gurumayum son of Joy Sharma has been in this profession since 1998. Floriculture has now been a thriving business for him as it can fetch him a good monthly turnover of Rs.40000 to 60000 during the period of November to February. This is the good season for his business with almost flower varieties he plants at his farm blooming well. Many costumers throng his garden to buy flowers of their best choice. In normal seasons, he used to earn Rs.10000 to Rs.15000 per month, claimed the successful florist.

He cultivates various flower plants in a small piece of land at his house at Bamon leikai and a green house provided by State horticulture department.  Varieties of flower plants and trees such as Rose, Cape Jasmine, Acasiya, Empisa, Palakania, Lemon, Bokul, Leihao, Kaboklei, Tejpata, Orange, Lily, Aastronariya, Rajaniganda, Daliya, Ficus, Khagee Leihao, Grape, Gajenia, Golden pine, Green pine, Hyzenzia, Vervina, Kaberei, Cicus, Ficus Bon sai, Orchids, Petonia, Bogen vegellia, Zervera, Bronleate, Percy, Lilium, Mana Lei, King chilly and many others are available at his farm. About 97 indigenous and non indigenous flower and tree varieties are nurtured here at the farm.

Prior to his floriculture, Nanao used to nurture nursery saplings for trees like Teak, Wang, Pine trees etc. As this business could not give him sufficient income, he charted out another plan to include the item of floriculture in view of its commercial viability and profit. He learnt all technical knowhow from one Bhumeshor of Langthabal and Angocha of Keishampat who are professional florists.

“At the initial stage, I could not get much profit from this flower business due to lack of costumers. Even my parents and friends did not support my idea of initiating a floriculture farm saying that it is a hopeless and profitless business. Despite their rejections, I rather moved forward to achieve my goal. With the numbers of flower lovers of the state increasing these days, my flower business flourished gradually with large numbers of customers lining up at my farm to purchase flower plants. Nowadays, numbers of flower lovers have increased to a large extent enabling the professional florists to survive comfortably with a practicable income. It is now a thriving business,” he said

As part of expansion of his floriculture business, Nanao has procured a vast land of two acres at the foothill of Keirao Wangkhem village, about 12 km away from the heart of Imphal city to develop the area a beautiful floriculture belt to attract many tourists while providing jobs to many youths of the state. 

Nanao’s brother is also a professional florist. He has started a new venture on floriculture farm at Thanga. He is playing a great role in garden planning in and around the Moirang Sendra tourist home operated by Classic hotel management. The land space available at Bamon leikai is found not sufficient for the two florist brothers now. They are on the lookout for new vast land where they can run their flower business successfully.

As for the exotic flower plant varieties, Nanao used to procure the saplings or seeds from Pune, Kolkata, Bangalore and Guwahaty. For indigenous varieties, he collects them from different areas, the horticulture and soil conservation department in particular.

He has not limited himself to flowers but has been cultivating vegetables for almost two decades. He grows cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, tomato and other green vegetables. Nanao had undergone training on floriculture at Pune in 2009.  

Sharing how much a florist struggle to nurture a plant from its seedling to flowering, he said,” cultivating a flower plant is all what a mother requires to take care for her child. Watering the flower plants twice a day is a must, otherwise the tender flowers used to dry up or wither away. For irrigation, a small pond is kept inside the firm. With almost ponds drying up as summer season arrives, I face shortage of water for my farm. Extra expenditure has to be invested for procurement of water from the private water suppliers”.