KATHMANDU: The 25th Flora Expo, held in the federal capital from March 14-17, has concluded with remarkable success, surpassing its target transaction value.

Organized jointly by the Floriculture Association Nepal and the Floriculture Development Centre, the event witnessed transactions exceeding Rs 10.05 million, exceeding the initial target of Rs 10 million.

Association Chair Min Bahadur Tamang reported that the Expo attracted a total of 49,100 visitors.

The festival boasted a diverse array of stalls, including 60 commercial, three landscaping, eight official, one competitive, and one eatery store.

Entrance fees were set at Rs 150 for general attendees and Rs 100 for students.

The event’s theme, “Flora business for a clean environment and economic prosperity,” aimed to highlight the importance of floriculture in fostering environmental sustainability and economic growth.

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Jwala Kumari Shah, visited the Expo last Saturday, where she expressed her commitment to addressing policy issues related to the flora business, underscoring the government’s support for the sector’s growth.

Despite rising domestic demand for flowers, particularly during festivals like Tihar, Nepal continues to rely on imports from India to meet its requirements.

Currently, floriculture is practiced in 43 districts across the country, with commercial production spanning 450 varieties of flowers cultivated on approximately 157 hectares of land.

The floriculture industry in Nepal traces its origins back to 2007 BS.

Nepal reportedly records annual floriculture transactions amounting to around Rs 3.07 billion, indicating the significant economic contribution of the sector to the country’s economy.