BENGALURU: With Ayudha Puja on Oct 23 and Vijayadashami 24, there is an increase in the demand for fruits, flowers and vegetables, resulting in a usual price hike, right before the festival. The prices of certain fruits and flowers have doubled or even tripled during the last week, leaving citizens to face the brunt of the price hike.
Girish Muchal, general secretary of Karnataka Small Flower Growers Association, said, “The demand for open-field flower varieties like chrysanthemum, marigold and cuban rose have increased. The price of chrysanthemum and marigold have doubled, whereas the price of cube roses have tripled.” This is a regular trend we observe during all festive seasons, he added.
Though the festive season brings more business to the vendors, people are forced to buy festive essentials at higher prices. Umesh Rathod, a resident of Malleshwaram said, “We are left with no choice but to buy the essentials at the quoted price. This trend in price rise is seen during every festival.”
Another consumer, Priya Chetty Rajagopal said, “The prices of flowers and fruits go above the roof during every festival. This doesn't come to us as a surprise, we are used to it now, and it has become very common.” Along with flowers, and fruits, there was a visible spike in the prices of vegetables as well. Umesh Mirji, managing director of HOPCOMS, said that there is a rise in the demand for apples, pomegranates, papaya, guava and ash gourds during the festival, resulting in a price hike.
However, despite an increase in the demand for bananas, its price has reduced. Vegetables like cucumber and chow saw a minimal rise of Rs 5 and Rs 1 respectively.