Ganesha Festival Demand, Floods Push Flower Prices To New High

ADILABAD: The prices of marigold and chrysanthemum flowers have doubled this season compared to last year due to damage from heavy rains and floods that affected the flower crop in the erstwhile Adilabad district over the past two weeks. There is a high demand for flowers in celebration of the Lord Ganesha festival. Typically, these flowers are extensively cultivated in the Kagaznagar division of the Komram Bheem Asifabad district. However, recent heavy rains and floods have severely impacted the crops.

Currently, Marigold flowers were being sold for ₹200 per kg, against their regular price of between ₹ 10-150, and chamanti, normally sold at about Rs 250, was being sold at double the price at ₹500 per kg in the Adilabad district. Many people are reporting a shortage of marigold and Chamanti flowers. Even small-sized marigold garlands are selling for ₹50, prompting customers to buy only 100 or 200 grams of Chamanti flowers due to their high price. The white Chamanti flowers are available for ₹500 per kg, while the yellow ones cost ₹600 per kg. Often, middlemen purchase flowers in bulk from farmers and then sell them at higher prices in the market.

S. Sudeep, a resident of Adialabad town, noted that the prices of flowers for rituals during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival have doubled this season compared to the same time last year. This increase is attributed to a decline in yield and excessive flower loss due to flooding. Mandula Dattu, a farmer from Thantholi village in the Adilabad rural mandal, shared that his marigold crop was severely affected by heavy rains and subsequent flooding. Dattu explained that many marigold plants were uprooted, and some fell into the mud, causing many flowers to become muddy and change color. Consequently, certain traders are selling marigolds for ₹200 per kg due to the shortage of flowers.