With people gearing up to welcome the New Year, prices of flowers are at an all time high in Jajpur district. Abhiram Bhuyan, a flower seller of Bari, said, “In view of New Year, the cost of flower has gone up manifold. Every year, sale of flowers is very high, particularly this time.”
“The New Year and the Valentine Day are considered major festive occasions. And during these two occasions, sale of flowers is high,” said Kalinga Pradhan, another vendor. “Our earning prospect is linked with demand. If demand is high, we get a better price. Otherwise, our income slumps,” said 40-year- old florist Mohammad Faeem of Balichandrapur village. like Faeeam, at least 300 flower raisers of the districts are set to earn a fast buck as their produce would be go for a hot sale on the New Year. At least, 50 flower sellers of the district are keenly awaiting the arrival of the New Year with many of them already having placed bulk orders for red roses.
“This occasion provides them an opportunity to make brisk sales and for that, obviously, forward planning has to be done,” said Prakash Sahoo, a florist of Jajpur. When Ranjan Pradhan of Bari started marigold plantation on the banks of the river Birupa a couple of years ago, it did not attract enough attention with most of the villagers turning down the idea as a risk not worth taking.
However, with people celebrating the New Year and other occasions with full-fledged arrangements, floriculture is fast catching up in the villages with rising demand for different varieties of flowers. The district is witnessing a rise in the area that goes for plantation of marigold and other flowers every year. Prakasah Jena, who runs his flower shop at College Square at Jajpur, said that although currently the sales were down, yet he and other florists hope to earn more on Sunday. “The current price of roses per dozen is Rs 80.00, but it will increase up to Rs 130 on the New Years day,” he said with confidence.
“We have already placed our orders for fresh stocks now, especially red roses and we hope that the business will be as good as it was in last year,” said Ashok Sahoo. Many florists of the State used to solely depend on the flower traders of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh five years back. But now in many parts of the State, a large number of farmers are raising sundry flowers meeting the domestic need, said sources.