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Importance of floriculture underscored

RECORDER REPORT

FAISALABAD: Divisional Commissioner, Major Iqbal Ahmad (Retd) has stressed the need to promote floriculture in order to make Faisalabad a city of Gardens.

He was addressing the prize distribution ceremony at the three-day flower exhibition organised by Gardeners Club in collaboration with Serena hotel here on Saturday evening.

He said that flowers are the symbolic representation of "love" and we can promote love, peace and brotherhood by promoting floriculture. He also appreciated the efforts of the Gardeners Club in promoting awareness among masses about flowers and assured that the administration will extend every possible support in promoting love for plants and flowers.

Talking about the material importance of floriculture, Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology, (Niab) Director Dr. Jameel Qureshi said that varied climate in Pakistan has great potential to grow and export flowers of exotic varieties. However, we have to develop floriculture into an industry if we want to compete with Holland in flower export. We have to disseminate the knowledge from the laboratories and experimental farms to gardens and lawn to strengthen our agriculture sector, he added.

He also termed this exhibition as one of the best exhibition organised in Pakistan.

Gardeners Club President Khawaja Abdullah said that club has been striving hard for the last many years to inspire people to love the flowers. It was an uphill task to promote floriculture in a city, known for its hectic business activities."

He said the people have given a positive response and now most of them are proud of growing flowers in their houses and lawns. Underling the importance of trees in arresting environmental pollution, he said that flowers not only inspire us spiritually but also serve as cheaper prescription for social diseases like hyper tension.

Later, the Commissioner, Major Iqbal Ahmad (Retd) and Niab Director Dr. Jameel Qureshi also distributed prizes and shields among the participants of various groups.