Flowers face inflation woes

Florists see dip in business because of price rise

Flowers face inflation woes

Florists see dip in business because of price rise

In the latest Bollywood flick "Band Baja Barat", an event management company compromised in the usage of exotic flowers during a marriage ceremony to make a handsome profit. Wedding planning and event anagement companies in the Capital have followed suit, but not to make a profit. They have started cutting down the usage of flowers in marriages and other functions because of the spiralling prices of flowers.

No takers? A vendor sits idle at flower market in Mehrauli on Tuesday.
Pic/Subhash Barolia

Blaming skyrocketing prices of essential commodities in the past couple of days, companies say that they are finding it difficult to maintain the same volume of flowers due to immense price rise. As they can't do any cost cutting on food and cocktails, they are forced to do so in non-essential commodities like flowers and decorations.

Prateek Sahini, who runs his wedding planning company from Hauz Khas in South Delhi, said: "Petrol, beer and onion prices have almost become equivalent. All the three commodities are in some way or the other used during marriage. Onion and liquor form an essential part and can't be curtailed. So we are left with no option but to control the usage of flowers and other non essential items."

To convince the clients, some of the companies have also resorted to buying synthetic flowers which
are equally good and can be used in three to four marriages.u00a0"Clients want everything perfect and at the same time don't want to burn a hole in their pockets.u00a0 Flower prices have escalated due to the rise in petrol price.

Cost of a bunch of 100 red roses in December was Rs 150-200. But it was gone up to Rs 500 now. We have bought good synthetic flowers. These cost a bit more when you buy them but they last as long as you need them. They can be used in three to four marriages, thus saving costs," said an official from a leading event management company in south Delhi on condition of anonymity.

Md. Shagir, President of Ladoo Sarai phool mandi said: "Ours is an area located very close to big farmhouses and banquet halls. During every marriage season we sold huge amounts of flowers. But this year, the marriage season has kicked in but still the demands are minimal. Earlier, in a day a florist used to earn anything between Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000. But this year, they are even finding it difficult to meet ends."

Price war on

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today claimed that onion prices have started coming down with increase in arrival from Bhavnagar in Gujarat and Nashik in Maharashtra. Despite the slide in wholesale rate of onion in Delhi's Azadpur market, Asia's biggest fruits and vegetables market, the retail prices remained high at Rs 50-60 a kg. In the last six days, the wholesale price of onion has dipped by Rs 18 a kg in Azadpur market. The wholesale rate of onion which had zoomed to Rs 50 a kg on January 13 has come down to Rs 32 per kg today, traders said. Food inflation still remains high at 16.91 per cent for the week ending January 1 on account of high prices of vegetables, milk and meat.
u00a0Today BJP protesters tried to break barricades to march towards Parliament to protest the hike in petrol prices. As part of the protest, some of the protestors came in bullock carts and cycle rickshaws to Jantar Mantar - the site of the demonstration. Police used water canons when some of the protesters tried to break the barricades. Earlier while addressing the gathering, senior BJP leader V K Malhotra slammed the Centre for increasing the price of petrol and accused it of being 'insensitive' towards the plight of the common man.

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