Gladiolus Cultivation in Pakistan
“ A sustainable flower farming option for progressive farmers“
Gladiolus flowers have become the market leader in terms of flowers selling and cultivation in Pakistan after roses and tube roses. Event Designers like this flowers a lot. As this is the only flower which gives filling flowers impact but also easy to find round the year in the Market.
Mr. Tahir Mahmood of Gullpashi a leading floral designer in Lahore said that “ without gladiolus flowers it is very hard to manage the flora event because of its year round availability in the market and secondly if we don’t find colors gladiolus we do color the white ones according to the client requirement. The only problem for us is the highly unpredicted price factor.”
White Gladiolus are being grown about 90% of the total gladiolus cultivation in Pakistan because farmers are growing according to the market forces. Pink and red are following. Farmers can plants 60,000 bulbs per acre averagely. Imported Gladiolus bulb cost them about Average 7 Rupees. If they go for full season cultivation with season specials they can plant about 6 acres. And can earn more than 4 million per season.
There are more than 2000 hectors under gladiolus cultivation in Pakistan. Mostly in Punjab like, Lahore, Shiekhupura, Kasur, Patoki, Okara, Faisalabad, Jhang districts are common, but glads are also cultivated in Rawalpindi, Islamabad , Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahim yaar Khan Regions since long. In Sind farmers are mostly growing gladiolus in and around Hyderabad. In KPK Abbotabad, Mansehra, Ugi, Swat and Dir regions.
Progressive farmers are taking keen interest in gladiolus because of its long cultivation and harvest time and its highly unpredictable price factors; sometime in the season from October to May one stick being sold for Rs. 5 and sometime 65. There is no other crop like gladiolus flowers when we compare whole sale markets and per acre profitably.
“The key to success in gladiolus is keep planting and keep selling” , Col. Tariq was on the opinion, one of the big gladiolus farmers outside Lahore. “In the end you have to look in to the average price per stick that is around Rs. 22 in the year 2014-15.”
There are 5 ever growing whole sale markets in Pakistan for the gladiolus flowers, Sagian Bypass Lahore, Allahabad, on Kasur depalpur Road, Pattoke, Teen Hatti Karachi and in Islamabad.
If gladiolus flower would grow with due care it has great returns on investment. It only requires well drained soil, Right Bulbs Size for right season, different gladiolus bulbs varieties for different seasons, and if grown on Drip these can give tremendous quality flower and more productivity.
In whole sale markets quality flower always gives profit.