NELLORE /TIRUPATI: A Series of religious events and festivals after the ease of Covid restrictions has pushed up the demand for flowers. This, in turn, increased their prices, giving a big relief for farmers who had faced losses in the past few years due to low demand in view of the pandemic. Though paddy and groundnut are the main crops in Chittoor district, around 6,000 farmers are into floriculture in a part of their land for creating an additional income.
Farmers cultivate marigold, chrysanthemums and jasmine in more than 2,000 hectares. They also cultivate other flowers such as rose, gerbera and lily in Chittoor district. The price of chrysanthemums has increased to Rs 50-200 from Rs 40 for a kilo, while the price of marigold has increased to Rs 70 from Rs 20 and jasmine price touched Rs 300 as against Rs 100 for one kilo in the corresponding period last year. Farmers in Chittoor, Tirupati and Nellore districts export more than 2,000 tonnes of flowers to Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and across the State based on orders.
Farmers in Sarvepalli, Atmakur, Kavali, Udayagiri, Kovur, Kandukur under Nellore district and Gudur, Venkatagiri constituencies in Tirupati district cultivate flowers. “The price of flowers has increased in recent days due to auspicious days and festivals. Even though there was good imports last year, there was not much demand in the local market due to the lockdown. The farmers pin their hopes on the high prices to bail them out of the losses incurred last year,” said I Suresh Babu, a farmer from Venkatagiri.
It may be recalled that several farmers either dumped flowers on the roads or left the produce in their fields due to no demand. Last year, even workers, traders and truck drivers, who were involved in the business, lost their livelihood owing to less exports. Now, the demand for flowers from other States has increased. “Unable to bear the cost of transportation, we were forced not to harvest the produce last year. Now, the demand for flowers has increased. The demand for jasmine is gradually increasing and it fetches good prices in the market,” said M Sukumar Reddy, a farmer from Puttur division.
Flowers fetch good prices in wholesale market
The price of chrysanthemums has increased to Rs 50-200 from Rs 40 for kilo, price of marigold has increased to Rs 70 from Rs 20 and jasmine price touched Rs 300 as against Rs 100 for one kilo in the market in the corresponding period last year