Tough love: Rose exports hit this year, domestic demand help keep bloom

Currently the price of a red rose is around ₹13-14 per piece in the local market. It is expected to rise up to ₹18-20 around February 11

PUNE Ahead of Valentine’s day, the demand for roses has increased in the domestic market, however, there has been a drop in the exports this year, said rose cultivators.

Ahead of Valentine’s day, the demand for roses has increased in the domestic market, however, there has been a drop in the exports this year, said rose cultivators. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

According to farmers, they are receiving a good response in the domestic market and bookings are being done from other states and metro cities. Currently the price of a red rose is around ₹13-14 per piece in the local market. It is expected to rise up to ₹18-20 around February 11.

“There has been an increase in the flight charges for the flowers. The bookings from the export market are less this year. Usually, the export season for Valentine’s day begins by January 26 and it lasts till February 7-8. This year, we have witnessed a drop in the export rate. Export market is important and it should sustain even if there are ups and downs in some years,” said Mukund Thakar, head of Pavna Phulotpadan Sangh and a rose cultivator from Maval area of Pune district.

Farmers claimed that currently response from the domestic market is good and more returns are being recorded from domestic business than the export. “We are receiving huge bookings from the domestic market. Flowers are being sent to all over the country and to metro cities such as Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi. Ahead of Valentine’s day, traders from the local market are also picking up the flowers now. It has proven to be more convenient to send the flowers in the domestic market than to export for farmers this year. We are getting more margin from the domestic business,” added Thakar.

According to some experts, prices of roses will increase as the demand goes up. Saheb Pandit, a rose cultivator who has a farm in Talegaon MIDC said, “

“The overall cultivation is less this year. Due to the pandemic, events were cancelled and we received low response. Many farmers had opted to grow vegetables in their farms instead focusing on flowers. So, less proportion of flowers will be available for this season. Also, because of the unseasonal rain and unpredictable weather conditions, we had to take extra care of the flowers. The expenditure on pesticides, molecular formulas were increased. Ahead of Valentine’s day, as the demand increases, prices of the flowers could increase due to the inadequate supply.”