author(s)
Ram Chandra

abstract
Floriculture, an important segment of horticulture, has emerged as a rapidly growing sector of agriculture worldwide. It contributes significantly to employment generation, rural income diversification, foreign exchange earnings, and environmental sustainability. Globally valued at USD 52-55 billion (2023), the industry is expanding at a CAGR of 6-7%, with the Netherlands, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Colombia leading the trade. India, with 3.24 lakh hectares under flower cultivation and exports worth ₹771 crore (USD 95 million) in 2022-23, has shown remarkable progress but contributes only 0.6% to global exports, indicating untapped potential. This review highlights global and Indian trends, identifies major challenges such as post-harvest losses, infrastructure gaps, and limited technology adoption, and explores opportunities in exports, value addition, e-commerce, agro-tourism, and sustainability. With focused investments, advanced technologies, and policy support, India’s floriculture industry can emerge as a high-value enterprise contributing substantially to rural development and global trade by 2030.