KALPETTA: The fourth edition of Pooppoli, the Wayanad flower show opened at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Ambalavayal, here expects more than 10 lakh visitors this year. With more than 1,400 rose varieties and around 1,000 orchids, the winter flower has become a major attraction of the region. Last year around 12 lakh visitors enjoyed the festival. The organisers this year expects crowd from neighbouring districts of Kozhikode and Kannur and also from the neighbouring Nilgiri district in Tamil Nadu.
Conducted with the support of Kerala Agricultural University and department of agriculture, the fest also expects the presence of experts on various subjects who will attend the discussion sessions on issues faced by the farm sector. RARS director P. Rajendran told DC that the rose garden of the festival is the biggest in the region, with more varieties than one in Ooty. "Moreover, we have more than 2000 types of succulent cactus plants," he said. "With many imported varieties and wide-ranging dahlia flowers, it is a feast for the eye for all cutting across age groups."
Started in 2013, Pooppoli has become a carnival with other items for joy and leisure. Inaugurating the fair on Friday agriculture minister V.S. Sunil Kumar urged the organisers to ensure that the festival comes in a fixed period every year so that it would be a calendar event depending on which tourists can plan their itinerary. "The fest should cater to all sections of the farming community and also should help them in realigning in tune with the changing times," he said. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to inaugurate the valedictory function on February 9.
