MADURAI: The cold winter that reduced the yield and sustained demand have shot up prices of flowers, especially jasmine, at markets in Madurai and other southern districts. Making use of the demand, many flower traders have also increased the price.
S Jahir Hussain, a vendor in Mattuthavani wholesale flower market, said rising demand is not only because of the spike in demand, but also because of the winter that drastically reduces the yield. According to traders and farmers, the muhurtham season beginning in Tamil month Thai usually leads to rise in prices. A kilo of jasmine, one of the most sought-after varieties, was priced at Rs 5,000 per kg at 7 am on Saturday. However, it came down to Rs 3,000 by evening.
Other flower varieties, including ‘Pichi’ and ‘Mulla poo’, fetched Rs 2,000 a kg, while the price of ‘Madras Malli’, also known as ‘Kakkatan’, that used to be Rs 300 at wholesale markets, increased manifold to Rs 1,500 a kg. ‘Nandhiyavattam’, a jasmine look-alike, was sold at Rs 800.
According to M Thangamani, a jasmine farmer from Kalyanipatti village of Usilampatti taluk, the unusually cold weather has led to reduction in production. During the Tamil months of Panguni and Chithirai, about 10 to 15 kilos of jasmine flowers could be harvested from two and half acres. But now, the yield is merely 1.5 kg, he told DT Next.
U Arunachalam, a florist from Thovalai who used to procure 25 kg of jasmine every day, said he was able to get only about six kg now. Ganesan from Sankarankovil flower market in Tenkasi said the market usually receives 10 tonnes of flowers of various varieties. But it has come down to mere 50 kg these days due to the shortage.
Ganesan added that the price of flowers could even go up ahead of ‘Thai Poosam’ festival slated on January 25. But the high is likely to end soon. Jegatheeswari, a vendor at Thovalai flower market in Kanniyakumari district, said prices would decline after the production increases in April and May.