India: Flower prices doubled at Onam festival

Prices of flowers shot up in consonance with demand for Onam celebrations at the Thovalai flower market on Thursday August 27. Over 100 tonnes of flowers were sold in the last ten days, since the beginning of Onam celebrations across the district, said Ramachandran, a flower seller. Onam will be celebrated on Friday.

Mr. Ramachandran, who has been in the flower trade for the last 15 years, told The Hindu that people thronged around the market in large numbers from Wednesday night for buying flowers to create `Athapookolam’ in front of their houses. There were buyers even from Kerala. The night-long sale of flowers might have crossed 50 tonnes on Wednesday, he said.

Triggered by a huge demand during the festival season, the rates of flowers almost doubled on Thursday compared to those prevailing on Wednesday.

A kilogram of jasmine rose to Rs. 700 per kg from Rs. 400. Similarly, the price of pichipoo went up to Rs. 1000 from Rs. 500 a kg. Heavy demand was seen for mary gold and rose procured from Hosur and surrounding areas.

Many makeshift flower shops sprang up in the vicinity of the flower market to cash in on the opportunity. According to traders, the following were the prices of flowers (per kg) sold at the market on Thursday : white sevventhi Rs. 300, yellow kendhi Rs. 60, Salem arali Rs. 250, samppangi Rs. 50, vaadamalli Rs. 300, button rose Rs. 200.

Source: thehindu.com