By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 19: The All Saints’ Hall in Shillong played host to an array of exotic flowers primitive to Meghalaya in the Autumn flower exhibition organised by the Shillong Agri-Horticultural Society in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare on Thursday.
The two-day flower show aims to provide the farmers a direct platform to serve the customers directly, as an entrepreneurial opportunity, at the same time promoting floriculture and its advantages.
Meghalaya, often referred to as the ‘cradle of flowering plants’, lived up to its name as variety of flowering plants, boasting diverse shapes and sizes, stood in the hall.
Farmers and nurseries from all across East Khasi Hills came to take part in the exhibition in a bid to sell their plants directly to customers.
Ranging from succulents to various indoor plants and exotic varieties of orchids, the sellers had them all.
Pranjal Dutta, president of Shillong Agricultural Society, said that this is an annual event that has been happening since 1977, but the pandemic had put down a break for four years since 2019.
“This is a platform for flower growers to sell their products, not only retail selling but also access to different buyers who can later buy their products in bulk,” he added.
The hall was abuzz with enthusiastic buyers; standing up to the deep-rooted affection Shillong residents have for ornamental and flowering plants.
The exhibition had 25 stalls put in mostly by women entrepreneurs who came from all round East Khasi Hills.
Notably, 25 stalls were predominantly curated by women entrepreneurs.
Among them was Samanbha Grace Pyngrope, a first-timer at the flower exhibition, who, after a leaving career abroad, delved into floriculture as a hobby but was later awarded the Jedi Award 2023 as the best entrepreneur in the horticulture-based industry.
Pyngrope specialises in succulents and indoor plants and expressed her gratitude for platforms like these that allow horticulture-based entrepreneurs exposure.
A first-timer in the flower exhibition, Samanbha Grace Pyngrope, from Mawpat, Shillong, who gave up her career abroad and started floriculture as a passing hobby, but ended up being awarded the Jedi Award 2023 as the best entrepreneur in Horticulture based industry, also displayed her stall in the exhibition.
Several other stalls also shared the same enthusiasm as Pyngrope.
Responding to concerns about the promotion of foreign flowers, like the Cherry Blossom, overshadowing native varieties, Dutta was of the opinion that balance is significant.
“When we talk about the Cherry Blossom, it puts India on the global map after Japan and Korea. There’s no harm in that. Simultaneously, we are committed to ensuring our local varieties don’t take a backseat, and events like this play a pivotal role in achieving that balance,” he added.
The festival also had Meghalaya Grassroots project artists performing classics, and Dutta amusingly added, “It’s widely known that flowers bloom their best to music, which is why we had some soothing melodies. It truly was a multi-dimensional event.”