Bhubaneswar is all set to bloom with color and fragrance as the Institute of Agricultural Sciences IAS faculty of agricultural sciences of SOA Deemed to be University will organize the first-ever SOA Flower Festival on January 19 and 20. The two-day festival coincides with International Flower Day and aims to celebrate floriculture while promoting scientific and commercial opportunities related to flower cultivation.

The festival will be hosted at the premises of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences in Bhubaneswar, informed the institute’s Dean, Prof. Santosh Kumar Rout. On the first day visitors will get to experience grand exhibitions of a wide variety of flowers and creative flower arrangements along with multiple competitions designed to attract flower enthusiasts, farmers, students, and members of the public.

The second day of the SOA Flower Festival will feature a special symposium focused on scientific methods of floriculture, modern cultivation techniques, and sustainable practices. The symposium will also provide valuable information about government incentives available for flower cultivation as well as details on bank loans and financial support for those interested in entering or expanding in the floriculture sector.

The event will witness the participation of floriculture experts, bank officials, officers from the Directorate of Horticulture, and entrepreneurs working in the floriculture and landscaping field. Sharing her expectations, Prof. Sashikala Beura, Head of the Floriculture and Landscaping Department at IAS, said the festival is expected to attract not only flower lovers and farmers but also entrepreneurs and members of the general public, with the competitions adding further excitement and engagement.

With a blend of exhibition, education, and enterprise, the first SOA Flower Festival in Bhubaneswar is poised to become a unique platform connecting nature lovers, researchers, farmers, and business communities while promoting floriculture as a growing sector in Odisha.