KATHMANDU: For the first time after several years, the country will not import garlands for Tihar this year, thanks to surge in domestic production and projected fall in demand of flower this Tihar due to COVID-19.
As per Floriculture Association of Nepal (FAN), traders are in no mood to import flowers for Tihar this season. In the past, millions rupee worth flowers had to be imported from India during Tihar when demand for different varieties of flowers witnesses whopping rise.
“Nepal is gradually becoming self-reliant in flower production. This year, we believe that domestic production of flower will be enough to meet the market demand as the demand for flower is expected to remain low due to COVID-19 threat,” informed Kumar Kasaju Shrestha, president of FAN.
FAN expects that Kathmandu Valley will demand almost 1.5 million of garlands for Tihar this year against 2.5 million units of garlands sold during last Tihar.