Around 300,000 garlands imported from India for Tihar

Kathmandu-  Around 300 thousand garlands have been imported from India for this Tihar festival. These garlands are only for use in Bhai Tika. 
Bhai Tika is the last day of the five days long Tihar festival, the biggest festival of Nepalis after Dashain. 
Although it has been 23 years since commercial floriculture was started in the country, the country still imports flowers. Cultivation of flowers for commercial purposes has now expanded to 40 districts. 
Some 678 floriculture entrepreneurs are involved in this business. Floriculture has been done on around 2,960 ropanis of land and more than 41,000 people have directly or indirectly benefited from this. 
According to Dilip Bade, the senior vice-president of Floriculture Association Nepal, nearly 1.5 million garlands are expected to be sold in the capital on Bhai Tika. Nearly 5 million people live in the capital. 
Marigold garlands are the highest number sold garlands during Tihar. About 1.1 million marigold garlands are expected to be sold this Tihar, followed by 300,000 globe amaranth garlands and 100 thousand chrysanthemum garlands. 
Bade said of the total import, nearly 30 per cent garlands are imported from India.