Rose prices to jump by 50 per cent this Valentine's Day

As lovers eagerly await to greet their Valentines on February 14, there’s some not-so-pleasing news for them. Roses, one of the essential gifts on Valentine’s Day, will be costlier by at least 50 per cent compared with the previous year.

As Valentine’s Day falls on Friday, the demand for roses is expected to be high. In addition, the export of rose stems grown in and around Bangalore has increased by 20-25 per cent this year, mainly because production of the flower has dropped in major floriculture markets such as Europe and China. This will push the prices further up in Bangalore.

In 2013, four million rose stems were exported from Bangalore. This year, the number will reach five million, according to V Jhansi Laxmi, vice president of South India Floriculture Association (SIFA) and managing director of Blooms and Greens (P) Ltd.

European countries have been facing a shortage of roses due to extreme cold climate and cities like London and Amsterdam have been affected badly. This is going to be India’s, rather Bangalore’s, gain.

The average price of a red rose exported from Bangalore is about Rs 14, up from Rs 12 last year. In the local market, a rose stem will cost at least Rs eight, up from Rs 5.5 last year.

25 lakh roses

“We expect 25 lakh stems of fresh cut roses to be sold this Valentine’s week. The market is good for both growers and exporters,” Sridhar Chowdhary, managing director of Vinayaka Agritech Ltd. With a climate suitable for growing roses from October to March, the City as emerged has a top grower of roses, he added.

Roses grown in the City can match up to the ones grown in Kenya and China. “The production of roses has dropped in China because of cold climate. Hence, our rose export doubled in the last two months. Growers in and around Bangalore have received good export orders,” Chowdhary said.

“Kempegowda International Airport is another advantage as exporters can speedily deliver the roses to international destinations.” Rose stems — 40 cm to one metre in length — are being exported in packs of nine, 10, 12 and 20, he added.

Dr CG Nagaraju, managing director of the International Flower Auction Bangalore Limited, said the business had grown from 41 lakh stems in 2003 to 364 lakh stems till date.