Imported flowers to deck up Bathukamma

Production in Telangana dips by 30 per cent due to deficit rainfall

Hyderabad: For the last couple of days, four DCM truck loads of ‘chamanti’ (chrysanthemum) are touching down the Gudimalkapur flower market in the city to cater to the demand for the ‘floral festival’.

With the production of flowers hit hard due to the lean south-west monsoon, the wholesale traders are importing flowers from Bengaluru and Nagpur.

On an average, 200 kg each of ‘chamanti’ and ‘banti’ (marigold) are brought from the neighbouring states. With nine more days to go, the demand for flowers is bound to increase. S Subhash Reddy, president,

Hyderabad Wholesale Flower Market Association, says, “Supply from Ranga Reddy and other districts has decreased by almost 30 per cent and as a result dealers are depending on supplies from other states.”

The market rate of chrysanthemum is Rs 100 per kg as compared to Rs 50 per kg last year. The rates too fluctuate during the day. Sreenivas, a vendor at the Jambagh market, said, “In the morning yellow ‘banti’ was Rs 20 per kg but by afternoon it went up by Rs 40.”

Wholesale traders say that the imports may go up by another 400 kg to 500 kg by the end of the month as Dasara approaches.

While cultivated flowers need to be imported, several wild flowers that are used for decoration such as ‘tangedi’, ‘gunuka’ and others are sold mostly by villagers from neighbouring districts.

The prices for the wild flowers range from Rs 50 to Rs 80. A bunch of 10 ‘gunuka’ costs Rs 10. The wild white flowers are dipped in colour and some come in purple, red and green.

“Last year, the state government picked up thousands of kg of flowers and distributed in all the districts. There was a good supply of flowers from Ranga Reddy and Medak districts but the same cannot be said this time.

If the government decides to procure flowers this time also the demand may go up a few notches,” said Rakesh, a wholesale flower dealer at Gudimalkapur.

By:T P Venu