Marigold farmers in soup owing to lockdown

COVID-19 and the lockdown has been affecting flower cultivation as well. Floriculturists are facing the problem of transportation, even though the government has given permission to sell the flowers.

Many farmers in Shanivarasanthe and Kodlipet hoblis have been cultivating marigold in large quantities.

The flower plants are transplanted in January and flowers and are ready for harvest in March. The harvesting of flowers continues till May.

Generally, there is a yield of three to four tons per acre and farmers invest Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 per acre. But, this time, owing to the lockdown, even the farmers are not in a situation to harvest marigold as they have no options for transportation.

M P Rasan, a cultivator from Moodaravali village, said that all functions such as marriages, temple fairs and other auspicious events have been cancelled.

There is no use of flowers even if they are harvested. Nobody purchases flowers in large quantities, he said.

Rasan has been cultivating marigold for the last 10 years. The flower cultivation generally fetches him an annual income of Rs 1 lakh. But, for the first time, he has been facing the prospect of loss of the entire crop.

Many others like Rasan have been facing a similar issue. Marigold farmers Chandramathi, Dayanand and Ponnappa too have stopped watering the marigold plants, as the flowers have been wasted.

During the previous years, the flowers were transported to Mysuru and Bengaluru, and they fetched Rs 65 to 120 per kg, they said.