Business Bureau
The flower vendors are smiling these days as the wedding season has lifted the demand for decoration flowers this season at Netaji wholesale market situated at Sitabuldi.
“In the absence of any sort of restriction or lockdown associated with the COVID-19 pandemic the flower vendors are witnessing a four fold jump in demand as compared to the year ago season,” said Jaywant Rannaware, President of Mahatma Fule Pushp Utpadak Sanstha while speaking to The Hitavada.
During the past two years the business activity was challenging as demand was slow and weddings were a low key affair due to the coronavirus restrictions. Now things are getting normal in the market and there is good demand for flowers, he said.
In the summer months the local flower supply drops to just 10 per cent and is mostly brought by farmers operating polyhouses and greenhouses. To meet the demand flowers are mostly sourced from Bangaluru, Otty and Pune. The cut flower category or decoration flowers are widely in demand during the wedding season, he pointed out.
Apart from this, the demand for pooja flowers used for everyday use is almost constant throughout the year with an exception during the festivities when there is heavy demand. Street side flower vendors are visiting the Netaji wholesale market on regular basis, he mentioned.
From the past two and half months the prices of flowers have doubled in most cases. In the wholesale market, Marigold (Zendu) is being quoted at Rs 50 per kg to Rs 100 per kg, Desi Rose at Rs 100 per kg to Rs 200 per kg, Dutch Rose at Rs 300 per bundle (20 pieces) to Rs 350 per bundle, Gerbera at Rs 50 bundle (10 pieces), Carnation at Rs 400 per bundle (20 pieces) to Rs 500 per bundle, Orchid at Rs 600 per bundle to Rs 650 per bundle (20 pieces), Jasmine at Rs 400 per kg to Rs 800 per kg, Lillium at Rs 1,300 per bundle (10 pieces) to Rs 1,600 per bundle and Bird of Paradise at Rs 50 per bundle (10 pieces), he said.
Because of the intense heat flowers get spoilt within few days and vendors have to suffer losses. In the absence of any cooling facility or cold storage at the Netaji wholesale flower market the vendors cannot store flowers.
“This is a big disadvantage for the vendors. The authorities should develop the market and provide adequate infrastructure,” he added.
