"Winter of discontent for Indian flower farmers"
The farmers said the dip in jasmine is a regular phenomenon in winter as the yield falls in an acre from 25kg a day to 5kg. "But this year the winter mist has been severe and has affected several other crops too," says R Moorthy, a farmer from Velliyangadu in Karamadai.
Moorthy said he had planted jasmine, tuberose and curry leaves in his field. "Tuberose crop used to yield 40kg of flowers, but this winter, it has come down to 10kg on average," he says. The leaves of tuberose yellow in winter, reducing the crop's productivity and also the tender shoots of curry leaves wither in the mist.
Flower traders said the prices of flowers have skyrocketed in the local markets. KK Ayyappan, treasurer of flower market in the city, said the same season last year jasmine price was Rs 1,000 (15.60 USD) per kg. "This year the inflow has been badly hit. And also Friday being a muhurtham day, the prices have touched Rs 2,400 (37.50 USD) a kilogram," he says.
Ayyappan also said inflow of other flowers including rose, sevvanthi, arali, vaadamalli, kozhikkondai and kakatan malli, which were majorly traded in the market, had fallen. "On ordinary days the market sees an inflow of 50 tonnes of flowers in total. In festive season it goes up to 200 tonnes. On Thursday the market got only 10 tonnes of flowers in total," he says.
Read more at The Times of India