KANNIYAKUMARI: The Thovalai flower market witnessed brisk business in view of the 10-day Onam festivities in Kerala which peaks today with Thiruvonam.
Flower wholesalers said 1,000 tonnes of flowers were kept for sales in the last two days expecting buyers from across the border.
Thovalai in Kanniyakumari district is known for flower cultivation and sale though large quantities, especially of marigold flowers, also arrive from Dharmapuri, Hossur, Bengaluru, Salem, Dindigul, Madurai and other places. The Onam season offers much business to flower sellers and associated workers in Thovalai, said sources.
Thovalai flower market traders association president S Krishna Kumar told TNIE on Tuesday that 1,000 tonnes of flowers had landed in the Thovalai market for sales two days ahead of Thiruvonam.
He noted that wholesalers, retailers as well as private buyers from Kerala made a beeline to the Thovalai market to purchase flowers. People from Kollam, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram and other places in Kerala could be seen making purchases.
A buyer, Afsal Sulaiman from Thiruvananthapuram district and his friends R Rahul and SA Sreejith, said they brought 50 kilograms of flowers to make athapookalam (the circular floral carpet associated with Onam festivities.)
Afsal noted that Onam was celebrated by all people in Kerala. S Shibu and A Shiva from Kollencode on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border said they bought flowers worth Rs 7,000 for Onam celebration at the village library.
Marigold (kenthi), rose and chrysanthemum (jamanthi) white were in great demand, Krishna Kumar said.
The prices for l kg of flowers were: yellow kenthi Rs 100, red kenthi Rs 120, jamanthi white Rs 250, rose Rs 200, oleander (arali) Rs 300, lily Rs 300, jasmine (malli) Rs 800, wild jasmine (pitchi) Rs 1,250, Krishna Kumar added.
PS Krishnan, a worker at the flower market, said he had worked in three shifts and earned Rs 1,500 wage in the Onam sales. Local flower trader APM Chandran said he had sold two tonnes of flowers till Tuesday morning as customers from Kerala kept on arriving.
“We depend on Kerala for flower business,” he remarked. Another flower trader, T Thiruvazhi Pillai, said the flower prices were about 30 percent higher this Onam than last year.