Hosur’s rose exports have seen a steep fall, unseen in the recent years, pushing the flower exports down to just 15 lakh cut flowers this Valentine’s season. This is a 80% fall in exports, say Hosur’s flower growers.
“A good year’s exports range between 50 lakh to 70 lakh roses. This year, we have exported just 15 lakh,” said Bala Siva Prasad, president, Hosur Small Farmers’ Association. Many factors have contributed to this steep fall in exports, with the obvious one being the pandemic. The export of roses has primarily been to Singapore, Malaysia, and west Asian countries, including Lebanon and Kuwait. European markets include the U.K. Other global markets for Hosur’s roses like Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Philippines are closed to exports. The sporadic lockdowns in the main European markets due to the emergent COVID-19 strains have dampened Valentine’s Day celebrations in the markets, said Mr. Prasad.
In addition to this, the non-start of connecting flights to the European markets and the increase in cargo handling charges, both due to the pandemic, have come to make exports unviable this year.
“The increase in cargo charges is in the ratio of 1:4. If it cost ₹100 a cargo earlier, it is at ₹400 now. But the export price per stem is ₹12 to ₹13, the same as in the domestic market as of Wednesday,” said Mr. Prasad. This has disincentivised farmers from pitching their flowers for exports. Valentine’s Day this year falls on a Sunday, disrupting the chances of socialising. Sunday is also the day for church-goers in Christian majority countries.
Restricted markets abroad have pushed farmers to bank on the domestic market. The Sunday factor will equally affect the domestic sales, especially with Indian families objecting to socialising, said Mr. Prasad.
Besides, this year, the area of production in Hosur was scaled down to 1,000 acres, from the usual 1,500 acres. “Over 500 acres were not cultivated because farmers did not have the capital due to the impact of COVID-19,” said Mr. Prasad.
The Valentine’s Day production cycle sees farmers reinvesting the profits made during the October-November season of muhurtams . This year, the pandemic undercut grand muhurtams, slashing down profits.
All this affected production in large scale. “Hosur produces two crore flowers. But this year, only one crore were grown,” said Mr. Prasad. Those growing flowers did not get the COVID-19 impetus like others industries to sustain production, he said.
“For instance, farmers had to spend ₹1.5 lakh just for maintenance per acre of greehouse fields, during the pandemic, maintaining the bare minimum in terms of labour on the fields,” he said.
But there was no support, he added, reflecting on the flower production during the Valentine’s season.
