No flower supply to KR Market from TN, business hit

The Krishna Rajendra Market here wore a deserted look on Tuesday as business came to a standstill, following the death of Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The market largely depends on Tamil Nadu for its supply of flowers like mallige (jasmine), sevanthige (chrysanthemum) and lillies.

G M Diwakar, president, KR Market Flower Merchants’ Association, told DH that the suppliers and farmers in Tamil Nadu had expressed their inability to supply flowers to the KR Market, in view of the law and order situation in both the states.

Diwakar said, “At least 40% of the traders in KR Market are engaged in flower business. As many as 300 shops sell jasmine and chrysanthemum. Every day, at least 10 truckloads, a total of 5,000 tonnes of jasmine arrive from Tamil Nadu. On Tuesday, only one truckload of flowers arrived.”

With increase in the demand and shortage in the supply of flowers, there was a surge in the price of jasmine. Traders said that on Monday jasmine was sold at Rs 250 per kg and on Tuesday the price shot up to Rs 400 a kg. Diwakar expects the supply of flowers will be normal by Wednesday.