Mysore/Mysuru: The recently concluded Gram Panchayat (GP) election results, birthdays, marriages and felicitations have pushed up the flower business in city which had hit rock bottom during lockdown and COVID-19 pandemic in the past few months.

This has brought a smile on the faces of flower vendors at wholesale and retail flower market in Devaraja Market. The vendors faced worst situation when the whole country was shut for about two months to check the spread of the contagion. The subsequent ban on marriages, religious functions and places of worship had made their life miserable. Farmers had allowed flowers to dry in fields with the closure of markets for  several weeks.

Thanks to relaxation of COVID-19 guidelines, things were slowly returning to normalcy. Results of the just concluded GP elections, lifting of curbs on marriages, re-opening of places of worship, birthday celebrations, public felicitation functions have helped the flower business to pick up the steam. 

“With no festival this month, the rate of flower garlands had dropped to Rs. 20, but the rate has jacked up to Rs. 60 per garland because of GP President and VP elections, VVIP birthdays and felicitations. More people are now coming to market to buy garlands,” a flower trader said.

Demand for apple garland

There is a great demand for apple garland which costs Rs. 5,000 for a 25 kg garland to Rs. 1 lakh for a 350 kg garland. 

Rate of flower garland is in the range of Rs. 40 to Rs. 400 depending upon the variety of flower used. For a  small size garland of less than 50 button roses cost around Rs. 60 to 70. For the same button roses big size garland, it costs Rs. 300 to 400.  The garlands are prepared only on demand. While two persons are required to prepare a 25 kg weighing apple garland, ten persons have to work for two days to ready a 350 kg apple garland, said Mudassir Pasha, a flower trader at Devaraja Market.

Since people buy flower garlands more, the demand for cardamom, artificial pearl and sandalwood has slumped. Many look up for the readymade artificial garlands only when the price of flower garland soars. But, the demand for traditional ‘Mysore Peta’ has hit the roof, said Keshav, owner of Sri Raghavendra Stores, Devaraja Market.