Pattoki lives up to its reputation of ‘queen of flowers’
Pattoki – a town in central Punjab – is living up to its reputation of ‘queen of flowers’ and has excelled in flower cultivation as the growers have expanded their businesses to the big cities of the country.
Located in the middle of big industries, well-trained famers are producing over four dozen varieties of flowers and selling across the country. Since the city’s status was elevated to Tehsil in early 1990s, the flower cultivation business expanded manifold.
Jasmine, gerbera, carnations, chrysanthemums, tulips, poppies and orchids are some of the varieties produced. Farmers have set up shop in cities and are securing orders amounting to hundreds of thousands of rupees from private homes – particularly bungalows – and city administration to green the roads. The growers are able to gain considerable profit margins.
Pattoki is situated on the highway that connects Lahore and Karachi, and the city’s beautiful flower farms act as their sales pitch to attract commuters. The underground water is saline and two canals water the fields.
Roses seem to be one of the leading cut flowers in the global floriculture trade. For last few years, market of flowers has grown exponentially – specifically cut flowers –in the country, improving living standards of the people, said Asif Ali, owner of Farooq Nursery Farms in Pattoki.
“Farmers are involved in the flower business throughout the country. Pattoki has not only the largest market in the country, but is one of the biggest in the region,” said Ali. He said that it was a tradition in Pattoki for every household in the Tehsil to be involved in the horticulture business, directly or indirectly. Ali was himself a practicing lawyer, but supervises his forefather’s business.
“Exports are limited, but we are trying to enhance our business off-shores,” Ali said.
However, despite Pattoki market’s size and quality, Indian florists were doing better than their Pakistani counterparts due to research and development in horticulture.
Cut roses were the leading flower crop in Pakistan or in the world for that matter, but system and practices in the country were obsolete and primitive, thus the quality was not at par with international markets. This can be improved a lot, if the government gives attention to this sector, said Ali Babar, another flower house owner.
Cut roses have great potential. The industry must adopt modern techniques and innovate.
Flower production can be significantly increased by planting elite cultivars, improving infrastructural facilities, access to cheap loans, and offering assistance in marketing, said horticulture experts.
People residing in the city claimed that more than 80% of the total cultivable area in the city was used for producing flowers.
Prime quality and yield is achieved between October and March, and domestic and international buyers flock to Pattoki during the season to buy the produce.
Farm owners of Pattoki had adequate capital to construct greenhouse and absorb the high cost of energy required for operation attached with them. The locals said that they achieved 100% profit from flowers compared to other crops. They think ‘hand flowers’ are the gratitude of their little town.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 2nd, 2012.