Flower prices shoot up in wholesale market

The flower prices have shot up by two fold compared to a week ago due to lower supplies in the wholesale Netaji Flower Market situated at Sitabuldi. Apart from this, the demand for pooja flowers like marigold, chrysanthemums (Shewanti) and desi rose among other varieties are witnessing surge in demand by the consumers one day ahead of Ganesh Utsav festival.

“The prices of flowers have doubled during the past eight days due to short supply from major production centres in Western Maharasthra,” said Jaywant Ranaware of Aroma Flowers while speaking to The Hitavada on Sunday. With the start of the festive season, large quantities of the flowers are brought from places like Pune, Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur. This year, excess rains and floods have damaged a large portion of the flower crop in these places which has resulted in lower supplies to other parts of the country, he said. The wholesalers in Nagpur are sourcing flowers from Pune and Bangaluru. About 15 to 20 trucks (two tonne) are unloading different varieties of the flowers daily at the Netaji flower market. However, flowers are brought using road, rail and airways.

This years flower prices are four times costlier as against prices of the previous year, he pointed out. The flower prices being quoted at the Netaji wholesale market are as follows: Marigold (Zendu) at Rs 150 per kg, marigold small at Rs 100 per kg, chrysanthemums at Rs 300 per kg, colour chrysanthemums at Rs 100 per kg, chrysanthemums (Bangaluru) at Rs 250 per kg, Shirdi Rose at Rs 300 per kg, Dutch Rose at Rs 150 to Rs 200 per kg, Desi rose at Rs 150 per kg, gerbera at Rs 120 for 10 pieces, coronation at Rs 200 for 20 pieces, orchid at Rs 600 for 20 pieces and anthurium at Rs 40 per piece. As the rains were delayed by about one month in Vidarbha, the local flower crop is set to hit the market after 20 to 25 days, Ranaware further said.