Anil Kumar Acharya1*, Kumar Kasaju Shrestha2 , Janga Bahadur Tamang2 , Umed Pun3
1 Center for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development, Lalitpur
2 Floriculture Association Nepal, Lalitpur
3 Njala University, Sierra Leone
*Corresponding author’s e-mail: acharyanilku@gmail.com
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of human life across the world and has further exacerbated the impact of financial crisis brought about by agrarian crisis, job crisis, rise in oil prices and trade renegotiations. Floriculture industry of Nepal was not an exception and was severely impacted too. Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN) carried out this questionnaire based survey to assess the impacts of COVID 19 and then followed up by interaction with different major stakeholders. The findings of the study are based on post - COVID period from April 2020 to July 2020. In the Pre - COVID period, the yearly transaction of the industry increased by 10% annually but due to this havoc its annual transaction decreased by 10.89% (from NRs. 2416400000 to NRs. 2153300000). The study revealed annual transaction loss of 97% in cut and loose flowers, followed by 75% in landscape and gardening and 65% in ornamental plants. However, the most vulnerable sub-sector was cut flowers business as it was the most severely affected by COVID 19. Its major impacts also appear on physical, mental, financial and industry crisis that need to be well addressed by short-medium-long term strategy and package programs to rejuvenate the industry.
Keywords: COVID 19, Cut flowers, Entrepreneurs, Floriculture, Transaction