Farmer sets benchmark with commercial rose cultivation

Cooch Behar: Dulal Sarkar, a resident of Chakchaka in Cooch Behar, has emerged as a leading figure in the district’s agricultural sector by achieving remarkable success in commercial rose cultivation. Over the past 15 years, Dulal has transitioned from traditional farming to floriculture, cultivating a variety of flowers such as gladiolus, dahlia and gerbera on both his own and leased land.

This year, Dulal has taken a significant leap by dedicating four bighas of leased land exclusively to rose cultivation. He has planted 16,000 grafted seedlings of advanced rose varieties sourced from Odisha. The result has been impressive— he markets approximately 1,200 to 1,400 roses daily, generating a substantial income.

In addition to roses, Dulal cultivates marigolds, chrysanthemums, gladiolus, dahlia and gerbera on his eight bighas of land. These flowers are not only sold in local markets but also transported to Siliguri and Assam, further boosting his revenue.

Dulal’s journey into floriculture began 15 years ago when income from traditional crops like rice and potatoes proved insufficient. Seeking alternatives, he sought guidance from the Horticulture department and started cultivating flowers.

The decision proved transformative, as the demand for his flowers grew steadily. Over the years, he expanded his operations, leasing additional land and diversifying his crops.

The Horticulture department highlights Dulal as an example of agricultural innovation. Due to limited financial returns, he sought guidance from the department and ventured into flower farming. Today, he cultivates flowers on one bigha of his own land and an additional five bighas on lease, dedicating four bighas exclusively to rose cultivation.

He has been recognised with the prestigious Krishak Ratna award twice for his contributions to floriculture in the region.

Speaking about his journey, Dulal Sarkar shared: “I used to grow traditional crops, but the returns did not justify the effort. So, I shifted to flower cultivation.

This year, I planted roses on four bighas of leased land, and about 1,500 roses bloom daily. These are sent to markets in Cooch Behar, Siliguri and Assam, providing me with a steady income.”