RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Spread across nearly 5,000 acres, Kadiyam has emerged as one of India’s most vibrant horticulture hubs, with around 2,500 nurseries attracting plant lovers, traders and exporters from across the country and abroad.
From ornamental varieties to high-value exotic species, Kadiyam today stands tall on the global horticulture map.
The nurseries cultivate a wide range of ornamental, exotic and high-value plant varieties, reinforcing Kadiyam’s global standing. Imported plants from countries such as China, Thailand, Spain and several European nations undergo inspection at ports and are kept under a mandatory 15-day quarantine before distribution to prevent the entry of pests and plant diseases.
District Horticulture Officer N. Mallikarjuna Rao told TNIE that exports are subject to equally stringent regulations. Exporters must pack plants only in cocopeat and not in soil, as soil can carry nematodes and other harmful organisms that pose serious risks. Cocopeat packing also reduces freight costs, as soil significantly increases weight. He added that Kadiyam currently exports ornamental plants mainly to Dubai, where Indian varieties are in high demand.
The officer said only nurseries registered under the Nurseries Registration Act, 2010 are eligible to export plants. Despite rising demand, several unregistered nurseries continue to operate in Kadiyam. Authorities strictly prohibit the export of plants grown in forest areas and certain medicinal or protected species, including red sandalwood and sarpagandha.
Kadiyam records an average daily footfall of about 1,000 visitors. During the Godavari Pushkarams, the number can rise sharply to between 20,000 and 30,000 a day. To tap this surge, the horticulture department is planning tourism-linked initiatives, including exclusive nursery stalls along the Godavari stretch from Pottilanka to Vemagiri. Officials said applications from farmers for these stalls are already increasing.
In Kadiyam, horticulture remains tightly regulated, demand-driven and increasingly global in outlook.