Flowery Biz: Tamil Nadu recorded a total flower production of 6.5 lakh MT in 2025-26
Because they cannot be marketed, Viswesha said, a certain volume of flowers go waste. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Chennai | Silver Rate in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai | Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Petrol Price in Chennai | Diesel Price in Chennai | CNG Price in Chennai | LPG Price in Chennai Stay updated with the latest Chennai news. Tamil Nadu has a rich tradition of floriculture, celebrated in ancient Tamil literature. With the state ranking second in flower production and third in area under cultivation in India, experts see significant scope to expand exports and develop high-value products. Setting up extraction facilities would allow this surplus to be converted into perfume ingredients and other value-added products. Download the TOI App.
Today, its flowers — from jasmine and rose, to chrysanthemum — reach domestic and international markets.
Tamil Nadu has doubled its area under floriculture over the past decade, from 24,000 hectares in 2014-15 to 48,000 hectares in 2025-26, according to data from the state agriculture department. R Murthy, a Kodaikanal-based floriculturist and president of the Flower Growers Association of Tamil Nadu, said the state’s horticulture sector had grown at an average annual rate of 7% over the past five years. “Horticulture can contribute to the Tamil Nadu govt’s ambitious target of building a $1.5 trillion economy by 2036.
At the PPC in Periyakulam, Theni district, loose jasmine, flower strings, rose buds and marigold are graded and exported to Canada, the US and Muscat through a market integration partner,” a horticulture dept official said. It should map flower production, seasonality and processing surpluses across clusters, identify export-ready products, assess feasibility, connect processors with overseas buyers and facilitate finance, tech, certification and market access,” he said. Chandramohan said the focus should shift from selling fresh flowers to developing high-value products. The govt could offer capital subsidies or interest support for eligible processing equipment and viability-gap funding for shared extraction facilities where commercially viable, he said. Creating a separate horticulture ministry is the need of the hour,” he said. “About 390 acres are available at Mannavanur village in Kodaikanal for a floriculture park,” he said, adding that Tamil Nadu should identify suitable crops based on demand in markets such as Europe, West Asia and other parts of Asia. Value addition can increase the returns from floral produce, Murthy said. The state govt should introduce policy reforms, financial support and technical partnerships to revitalise floriculture and horticulture, he said, adding that farmers must be equipped to tap emerging opportunities in global markets. roses are also exported to countries such as Australia and New Zealand ahead of Valentine’s Day,” he said While the domestic market remains the largest.
Jasmine, chrysanthemum, tuberose, rose, marigold, nerium and cut flowers are among its major crops. The state ranks first in jasmine production and second in chrysanthemum and tuberose production. The dept of horticulture and plantation crops promotes value addition through processing units that extract essential oils and floral concrete. At the primary processing centre (PPC) in Harur, Dharmapuri district, rose petals are dehydrated and supplied to perfume manufacturers. “We encourage export-oriented flower crops such as roses, jasmine, chrysanthemum, marigold and tuberose in suitable agro-climatic regions. An application seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Krishnagiri Paneer Rose has been filed and is under scrutiny by the GI Registry. Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Tiruvannamalai, Dindigul and Madurai are among Tamil Nadu’s leading flower-producing districts. Value-added flower processing and manufacturing are concentrated largely in Dindigul, Madurai, Krishnagiri and Coimbatore. S Chandramohan, director and group president, corporate affairs, TAFE, and former chairman of CII Tamil Nadu, has called for a dedicated Tamil Nadu Flower Export Mission to coordinate the sector’s development. “The govt could establish a mission involving the horticulture department, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC), Guidance Tamil Nadu and central export-promotion agencies. The mission should also monitor farmer prices, export realisations and processing capacity, providing a coordinated framework for an industry spanning farming, manufacturing, logistics and international trade, he added. These include jasmine concrete and absolute, fragrance extracts for perfumery, rose water, floral incense, dhoop and sambrani blends, floral powders and fragrance blends for religious and wellness markets, as well as dried hibiscus and rose petals for permitted food and tea applications. Attracting private investment via targeted incentives would be essential. It could also support women-led self-help groups and village enterprises in making value-added products such as floral gift boxes and traditional decorative items. Murthy called for floriculture parks to generate employment across cultivation, harvesting, processing, packaging, marketing and logistics. He proposed a hub-and-spoke model, with advanced processing facilities at a central hub and cultivation spread across smallholder farms. A kilogram of rose petals may fetch a modest price, but processing them into rose water, oil or gulkand can multiply their market value. V Viswesha, a farmer and entrepreneur based in Hosur, called for a perfume extraction plant in Krishnagiri district, given its substantial rose production. “Floriculture is a major economic activity in Krishnagiri, supported by climatic conditions suitable for growing a variety of flowers, including those cultivated in the Netherlands.