Flower prices not so rosy

The rich, intricate floral decorations seen hanging at the entrances of homes in Ahmedabad at festive times have been somewhat muted this year. Flowers have become costlier by nearly 50 per cent because of the increase in demand caused by Navratri and Dashera.

Jasmines are being sold at around Rs550 per kg, lilies at Rs200 per kg and marigolds, Rs120. Similarly, the price of roses has jumped to Rs120 to Rs140 per kg, which is phenomenal increase for Rs20 to Rs40 per kg, over the last few days.

“This increase in prices is disheartening as flowers are considered the most cost-effective mode of decoration during festivals,” said Ronak Shah, a resident of Ambawadi.

Stall owners at local flower markets attributed the increase in prices to a fall in production because of the delayed monsoon in Gujarat. “Production in the state fell by around 80 per cent, resulting in a rise in flower prices,” said Shubham Vaidya, the owner of a flower stall at Jamalpur.

“During such festive seasons, labour and transportation costs on such huge stocks are high, which has led to this increase in flower prices,” he said. The prices of flowers like orchids and tulips have also risen.

Roses in particular are always in high demand every festival season - Navratri, Shravan, Eid, Dashera or Diwali. “The demand for roses remains high during such festivals as they are used by people of every faith,” said Ahmed Uddin, the owner of a flower stall at the Jamalpur flower market. “The prices are expected to be high ahead of the marriage season and festivals like Dashera and Diwali.”

“We usually buy garlands and flowers by the kilogram for Navratri. But we decided to keep our expenses minimal this time around. I suppose the rains have played a major role in the price rise of flowers,” said Bhakti Mehta, a resident of Lal Darwaja.