Blooms fade due to rain

Cyclone Jal causes flower prices to skyrocket in Bangarpet taluk

The heavy rain caused a reduction in the yields and increase in prices of flowers that are used everyday mainly for poojas and decorations in the taluk.

Doubled prices

The price of kanakambara is now Rs 500 per kilogram, jasmine is sold at Rs 400 per kilogram, sugandha is priced at Rs 100 per per kilogram, marigold is now Rs 60 per per kilogramo, Ooty roses are Rs 100 per kg and red roses are priced at 120 per per kilogram.
 
Shopowners selling flowers used to purchase two kilograms of kanakambara, jasmine and kakada everyday and 20 kg of Sugandha.

Usually five to 10 kg of marigold were purchased on a daily basis, about 10 kg of Ooty rose was purchased and five kilo of red rose was also purchased by the shop owners.
But now, with a decrease in yields, shopowners buy only half the amount of flowers and sell them for double the price.

Basic necessity

The prices have skyrocketed and the flowers are bought only in cases of weddings and funerals. The vendors are supplying flowers based on the demand and not buying in excess.

The sight of flowers being strung is not very common in the taluk at the moment.

Hesitant to supply

The flowers are usually supplied from Tirupattur in Tamil Nadu, Malur and Hoskote but with the present situation the suppliers hesitate to send in the orders.

There are more than 500 vendors in town and most of them are now jobless, struggling to make ends meet.