Demand for plants high at Brikkho Mela

Plants were never before this popular with Dhaka dwellers as it is this year. 

According to nursery owners who are participating in the on-going national plant fair "Jatiya Brikkho Mela" at Agargaon in Dhaka, the sale of plants this year has surpassed that of any previous years.

"I have made more sales in the first 12 days of the fair than my total sale in the last 12 years," says Golam Haider, owner of Green Bangla nursery, a participant at the fair.

A total of 90 public and private nurseries have brought in thousands of indigenous and exotic plants of at least 500 different species at the fair. Plants ranging from flowering to timbers are selling between Tk 50 to Tk 20,000 or more depending on their size and specialty.

Some bonsai plants sell for more than one lakh taka.

The Jatiya Brikkho Mela, 2016, will continue till August 30 with the slogan "trees for livelihood, trees for life."

Nursery owners say that this year the demand for ornamental plants has skyrocketed.

"When the first Brikkho Mela took place in 1993, the demand for forest plants was high. Then over the years, people wanted more fruit trees and now the demand for ornamental plants are on the rise," said Golam Haider the proprietor of 'Green Bangla'. 

He believes that people have become very aware of the value of plants. "But most of them live in apartments where there is a space limitation. So people are opting for ornamental plants," he said.

People can also choose from a selection of exotic varieties like Egyptian Sweet Fig, Longan, Dragon Fruit, Passion Fruit, Avocado trees, Lemon, Jambura, Amdra, Tetul, Sofeda etc.

Variety of orchids, ornamental plants and flower plants can be seen in almost every stall. 

Rooftop gardening is also being promoted at the fair this year. An organization named Life to Nature is providing a one-day hands-on training on rooftop gardening at the fair.

"If you have a roof top garden, you can produce fresh vegetables and fruits for your daily consumption," said Life to Nature's organizer Mukta.