With the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation withdrawing bus services for a few hours in the morning, jasmine producers were hard hit as prices registered a sudden dip. They are, however, pinning their hope for the prices to stabilise in a couple of days close to the end of the Navarathiri festival.
A cross section of jasmine producers pointed out that the yield from plants had gone up in the recent days. Growers said that there was more yield following intermittent showers but they did not take flowers to the wholesale market in Srirangam in view of suspension of bus services.
K. Rajasekar, a flower dealer in Srirangam, said there was not many takers for jasmine from outside the district. Jasmine from Srirangam was being sent to markets in Tiruvarur, Mannargudi, Perambalur and Ariyalur. But the absence of bus services resulted in the poor arrivals today. The price per kg dwindled from Rs.200 on Friday to Rs.60 on Sunday, he said. Most of the growers from Ettarai, Koppu, Kuzhumani and Sirugambur did not turn up for the trade today, he added.
P. C. Subbiah, a progressive jasmine grower of Tiruvarangapatti near Mannachanallur, pointed out that the yield has improved during the last couple of weeks following moderate showers in villages. Plants registered higher yield in nearby villages including Gopurapatti, Azhagiya Manavalam and Ulundhankudi.
He hoped that the price per kg would shoot up from Monday. He could harvest anywhere between five and 10 kg a week and sell it for Rs.375 a kg to wholesale dealers in Srirangam, who, in turn, would market it with some marginal profit to retail vendors.
