Pink carnations, red anthuriums, purple and pink chrysanthemums, exotic orchids and Asiatic lilies form a part of many a celebration. Whether greeting somebody on special occasions or visiting a patient in the hospital or arranging it in a cosy corner, colourful blooms are the most preferred.
But florists are having a tough time keeping pace with the growing demand for flowers. A bouquet of flowers that would remain fresh for 3-4 days usually is losing its charm in a day or two. The sweltering heat is causing an unpleasant situation for the florist. As a result, florists are incurring loss in an otherwise blooming business. The sensitivity of the green stalks like asparagus, golden rod, daisy leaves and palm leaves are the most affected due to its high sensitivity feature combined with scorching heat.
Most of the florists are getting their stocks transported from Bangalore, neighbouring areas and wholesale dealers in the city. The cost involved to maintain the bouquets has increased as air-conditioners are required to restore freshness for at least two days, explains Rajesh Jain, owner of Ferns-n-Petals. “Apart from our regular delivery to the hospitals, corporate offices and other retail stores, sale across the counter has come down by 40 per cent,” he said. “Usually, the business will be around Rs.6,000 per day but due to unfavourable weather, sale has dropped to Rs.3,000. Flowers and stalks are getting spoiled during transit leading to heavy loss. Hope the situation would improve within few weeks,” said Suri Babu who owns Darling's Florist at Asilmetta.
