An analysis of prospects and problems of greenhouse gerbera cultivation in south Gujarat^#

Greenhouse agriculture allows consistent supply of high quality produce, a critical need of most markets. Present study was one of its first kinds of systematic effort in the region to study the current marketing practices and suggest the policy efforts in the direction for improved marketing of greenhouse crops. The study identified that in south Gujarat, Gerbera is major green house crop in the region. Gerbera cut flower cultivation results in net returns of 8, 86, 168 per acre and benefit-cost ratio was estimated to be 1.48. The break even volume is estimated to be 12, 51, 204 number of flowers which can be achieved in second year. This suggests that gerbera cultivation in green house provides good income although the cost of production and marketing is also high. Major constraints in green house farming by green house growers were identified as low price of produce, high initial investment, distant markets, problem of pest and diseases, fluctuation in market prices, etc.