By Madhusudan Timalsina
Kavre, Apr. 23: Every sector of economy has been affected by the nationwide lockdown enforced to prevent and control COVID-19.
The floriculture business is not an exception. It is in crisis due to the lockdown enforced a month ago, said floriculture entrepreneurs.
The flower farmers of the district have been worried after the sales of flowers halted following the lockdown, they said.
“The sales of flowers froze for the last one month due to the lockdown.
The business is affected badly in this season of high flower business,” said Birendra Bahadur Shrestha, president of Floriculture Association Kavrepalanchok and proprietor of Horizon Nursery.
At this time flowers worth Rs 400,000 used to reach the market daily from Kavrepalanchok district.
According to him, the floriculture sector would face a huge loss due to the lockdown as the sale of flowers across the country had decreased significantly.
“We cannot sell even a stick of flowers in the district following the enforcement of lockdown.
The flower farmers are worried to protect the business and finding it difficult to pay the interest of loans to the banks and pay rent for land and employees’ salaries,” he said.
About 20 entrepreneurs are growing flowers commercially in the district.
Vice President of the Association Bhesh Raj Danuwar said that the floriculture business of the district would face a loss of Rs 30 million due to the impact of lockdown.
“The flower entrepreneurs of the district have already incurred a loss of Rs 12 million in a month of lockdown.
The investment in floriculture in the district stands at Rs 250 million,” he said.