Kathmandu: Despite government ban, flower import from India continues during this Tihar festival. According to the Flouriculture Association Nepal (FAN), a total of 2.4 mn flower garlands have been consumed during this festival.
Among the total consumed flower 1.7 mn was produced in the country while remaining flowers were imported from India. The actual statistics of flower consumption and business is still to be available though.
For garlands and flowers used in Tihar, production within Nepal is almost sufficient. However, businessmen import from India to earn more profit.
The government has banned the import of garlands this year, but the import of garlands has not stopped. Centipede flowers imported from India are being bought and sold in Kathmandu and the main market.
For this year’s festival, hundreds of hundreds of garlands have been imported more than expected.