Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University event explores biz potential of flowers

Patna: Over 150 varieties of chrysanthemum were displayed during the ‘Chrysanthemum Field Day’ on the campus of Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU) on Friday. Organised by the university’s horticulture department, the exhibition showcased cut flowers, pot plants, and various species for garden decoration. Among the visitors were academics, scientists, local florists and flower lovers.Besides commercial varieties of the flower, breeding lines and high-quality elite germplasm were also displayed. Additionally, 28 seed setting germplasm of chrysanthemum were exhibited, which play an important role in breeding programmes. University scientists provided detailed information to farmers and visitors about the characteristics and utility of these various varieties.A wide range of value-added products made from chrysanthemum, including garlands, table tops, pot mums, bouquets, and flower jewellery, were also displayed at the event. The main attractions of this programme were the chrysanthemum trophy, flower rangoli, and chrysanthemum jewellery, which captivated all the visitors. Traditionally, flower jewellery is made from roses and jasmine, but chrysanthemum has now emerged as a promising alternative, showcasing its versatility beyond traditional flower uses.Explaining the growing utilities of chrysanthemum in modern times, RPCAU’s dean Mayank Rai and horticulture department head Udit Kumar said that once limited to traditional weddings and temple rituals, flower jewellery is rapidly evolving into a vibrant lifestyle product with strong business potential. Crafted from fresh flowers, this eco-friendly adornment is finding new markets in fashion, wellness, and event industries, offering entrepreneurs a low-investment and high-creativity business opportunity, they said.Earlier, inaugurating the event, RPCAU’s vice-chancellor PS Pandey said that the university is currently in the process of developing multiple new varieties of chrysanthemum. “These new varieties will be made available to the farmers for commercial cultivation in future. There is very limited availability of flowers during the autumn season from October to February, which poses a major challenge for flower producers and the market. To address this problem, the university has developed some varieties of chrysanthemum that flower in early, mid, and late seasons,” he said. He added that the availability of these varieties will enable farmers to produce flowers continuously throughout the autumn season, ensuring a steady supply of flowers in the market and increasing farmers' income.