Production Constraints of Export Floriculture Industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Floriculture is a profitable export venture which at present characterized with poor export performances. This study was conducted to find the reasons behind the production inefficiencies of floriculture industry in Sri Lanka focusing on the constraints faced by the growers at production level. Large scale growers and small and medium scale growers producing floriculture products for export market were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Significant constraints on production for large scale growers were; inadequacy of lands (t=3.27), trained labor shortage (t=4.09) and inadequacy of locally produced basic inputs (t=2.8), lack of capital (t=2.19), high operating cost (t=8.07), lack of financial support from banks (t=1.72), high interest rates of loans (t=3.73), lack of research activities (t=9.26) and improper flow of knowledge from researcher to producer (t=7.92), price volatility (t=2.81), poor market intelligence (t=4.45) and strict quality parameters (t=1.98).Significant constraints on production for small and medium scale growers were; inadequacy of lands (t=3.78), lack of technical knowledge (t=3.56), lack of quality planting materials (t=8.82) and other basic inputs (t=11.24), inadequacy of post harvest infrastructure (t=3.41), lack of capital (t=21.26), high operating cost (t=17.26), lack of financial support from banks (t=4.34), high interest rates (t=8.56), lack of market oriented researches (t=10.53), less exposure to research findings (t=10.51), lesser prices (t=4.67), less availability market information (t=5.86), limited access for information sources (t=3.71), and less awareness of quality requirements by international market (t=3.06). Therefore, an efficient private public partnership is required to overcome production inefficiencies of the floriculture industry.