THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Flower markets in the city have begun to sport a festive look a day before Atham. Anticipating an enormous demand for ‘pookkalam’ competitions, truckloads of flowers arrive from various states to the Chalai market, which has 36 flower shops. Vendors expect a brisk business, with Vinayaka Chaturthi and Onam arriving.
Flowers primarily arrive from Dindigul, Rayakottai, Nilakottai, Aruppukottai, Madurai and Thovalai in Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru and Hosur in Karnataka. According to a florist at Chalai market, rose, chrysanthemum (jamanthi) and vada mulla (bachelor’s button) come from Dindigul while different varieties of oleanders (arali) and jasmine arrive from Thovalai.
Tagetes, a variety of marigold, costs H70 to H80 per kilogram while the red and white oleander cost up to H300 per kg. Yellow marigold (H80), orange marigold (H90), pink oleander (H200), white jamanthi (H350) and tuberose (H200) are available aplenty. “Vada mulla, chrysanthemum and rose can last up to two days while oleander will last only for a single day,’’ said K Radhakrishnan, president, Thiruvananthapuram Florist Association.
A surge in prices is expected due to the limited availability of flowers in the Thovalai market and the loading and unloading charges.
Sunil S, florist at TRS flowers, Chalai market, said: “Earlier, people used to buy flowers for H2,000-H3,000. After the flood, flowers are bought for less than Rs 500.” Many florists had suffered losses in business due to the flood last year.
However, some shopkeepers hope to receive good returns this Onam.