We have a gold mine under our feet. In the fertile loamy soil enriched by the river Hooghly and its tributaries in the south and Tista, Torsa and Mahananda in the North, fed by rains and sunlight, you have a gold mine of business opportunity in the sector of horticulture.
West Bengal is one of India's leading producers of vegetables, fruits and flowers. While traditional varieties include fresh tomato, brinjal, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, radish amongst others, exotic vegetables as well as frozen, dehydrated, fermented and canned forms need to be developed on a greater scale.
West Bengal is India's leader in litchi and pineapple production and one of the front runners in mango production. There is an ever-ready domestic and export market for fresh and frozen fruits, fruit pulps, jams, jellies, juices, squashes and concentrates.
In floribusiness, while traditional favourites like jasmines, roses and marigolds hold their sway, commercial flowers like tuberose, orchids, gladioli, cock's comb, gerberas, anthuriums, chrysanthemums can mean big business in exports as well as in the domestic markets.
High quality seeds and planting materials are the key to a golden harvest. Joint Ventures with the specialist and reputable agro companies, and constant R&D for superior seeds and planting materials will not just improve the fortunes of West Bengal's growers, there is a lucrative market for them both in India and abroad.
Hence the Nature's bounties should be fully exploited, preserved and enjoyed by the people world over, spiralling a virtuous cycle of greater produce and greater profits.
We aim at more and more proactive, high-tech initiatives. Connecting the growers to newer technical aids and high-yield hybrids, preserving his produce and value adding and carrying it to far-off lands, making way for a golden mean between ecology and economy. As harvests grow truly golden, the future shimmers a bright gold for all the growers of West Bengal.
