KOLKATA: West Bengal is doubling its supply of tube roses to some of the world's biggest flower auction centres at Naaldwijk and Aalsmeer near Amsterdam. Some 9,000 stems are being dispatched to the centres in Holland twice a week on flights from here.

Talks are on with a new auction centre in Dubai for the regular supply of flowers. Once the process of registration with that centre is through, fresh markets should open up for West Bengal's flowers in West Asia.

The West Bengal State Food Processing and Horticulture Development Corporation will send, for the first time, gerberas, gladioli and orchids on trial basis to the Dutch auction centres. The consignments are to leave in a month; supplies will be regularised once the auction centre gives the nod, corporation managing director N. Hazra said here.

To develop floriculture, the State Government is going in for public-private partnerships to improve infrastructure and extend cultivation. Exports have boosted overall production, which has increased by upwards of 20 per cent over the past two years, according to Mr. Hazra. Flowers are mainly cultivated in the south Bengal districts of North 24 Parganas, Howrah and East Midnapore and in north Bengal in the hills of Darjeeling district.

There is now overseas demand for flowers from the State during Indian religious festivals. The corporation got orders from private parties based in London and New Jersey for lotus and marigold - flowers traditionally required in for worship — during the recent festival season. "The orders have provided us an export outlet," Mr. Hazra said.

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