SIMFED registers surge in supply of Asiatic Lillium

ANUSHA GURUNG
GANGTOK, 21 May: SIMFED has been getting large number of the Asiatic Lillium variety of flowers from growers in South and East Sikkim. Stems of the Asiatic Lillium are used mostly as cut flowers for decorative purposes.
Speaking to NOW! today, Kiran Gurung of SIMFED informed that they have been receiving Asiatic Lilium in huge quantities- 1,500 to 1,800 sticks per day from Ravangla, Simkharka and Ben in South Sikkim and Basilakha in East Sikkim as well as from some other places.
The rate [worked at the number of bubs per stick] they provide to the growers are: 2 buds Rs. 5, 3 buds Rs. 7, 4 buds Rs. 10, 5 buds Rs. 12 and above 6 buds Rs. 15 per stick. The flowers are supplied to Siliguri from where they are further transported to Delhi to the Sikkim Organic outlet there manned by two SIMFED employees.
Mr. Gurung also appealed to growers to supply the flowers before the buds turn red, pointing out that in summer, the flowers bloom faster so in order to make maximum profits, he urged growers to supply the flowers at the right time.
“During season time there is a surge in production and it is difficult for us to store the flowers as we don’t have good facilities of cold storage and the chemicals required. If such facilities are provided then we can export these flowers outside the country as well which will mean more benefit for the growers,” Mr Gurung added.
He further expressed that SIMFED employees are working hard, even giving up holidays during season time, as the main objective of SIMFED is to make the people of Sikkim self reliant in the coming future.  
Sikkim Industrial Marketing Federation [SIMFED] is an Apex federation of Gram Panchayat MPCS, consumer cooperatives/ marketing and weaver cooperative etc, which has been giving prime focus to the people of the state from the grass root level.