NEW DELHI, 09 July 2021: For ensuring that Indians living abroad get supplies of fresh flowers to deities at home and temples, consignments of Geographical Indications (GI) certified Madurai malli and other traditional flowers such as button rose, lily, chamanthi, and marigold were exported to USA and Dubai from Tamil Nadu.

The flowers for the consignments were sourced from Nilakottai, Dindigul, and Sathyamangalam, Tamil Nadu by The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (​APEDA) registered M/s.VanguardExports, Coimbatore.

The exporters of consignments were supported by professors from the floriculture department of Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore in the adoption of packaging technology to increase the shelf life of the flowers. Direct contacts with the farmers to cultivate quality flowers were undertaken by the exporters and the initiative generated employment to about  130 women workers and about 30 skilled workers.

Indian community in Dubai and the USA would be able to offer fresh flowers to Hindu deities both at home and at temples while celebrating religious and cultural festivals after exports of flowers from India continue at regular intervals.

During 2020-2021, fresh-cut flowers jasmine flowers, and bouquets (comprising of jasmine and other traditional flowers) valued at INR 66.28 crores were exported to countries like the USA, UAE, Singapore, etc. Out of which, a value of INR 11.84 crores was exported from the Tamil Nadu region through major airports of Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai.

Jasmine (Jasminum Officinale) is one of the most popular flowers found across the world. The scent of Jasmine is synonymous with the splendor of Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple, Madurai has emerged as a major market for the malligai grown in its neighborhood, and has evolved into the ‘jasmine capital’ of India.