Indian roses will be used by Romeos to woo their Juliets in Italy, a local daily reported on Monday.

Italian lovers can now gift roses from India's eastern state of West Bengal to their sweethearts, with the state government planning to tap the European nation's market for exporting the flower, the report quoted a state minister as saying.

"With over one lakh pieces per week, the demand for roses in Italy is huge and we want to tap the market. The plan to export the flowers is in place and the agricultural marketing department has already allotted 165 million rupees (3.3 million U.S. dollars) for the project," State Agricultural Marketing Minister Arup Ray said.

The first shipment will be sent this year.

The department is also in talks with several Italian trade organizations, which would facilitate export and train cultivators about new and improved ways of farming the flower.

"The project will initially be started on a pilot basis in Bagnan (Howrah district) and later will be spread to Panskura ( East Midnapore) and other flower growing areas of the state," said Ray.