Red roses have taken centre stage at the International Flower Auction Bangalore (IFAB) Limited, with heaps of that “eternal symbol of love” being sold ahead of Valentine’s Day on February 14.
Varieties of roses brought by farmers are being packed and kept for auction and distribution ahead of Valentines Day. | Photo Credit: Sudhakara Jain
Demand for red roses always goes up around this time, agrees Veena A.M., Assistant General Manager IFAB, a joint venture company of public and private shareholders that seeks to create a trading platform for flowers.
A flower vendor arranges roses for sale on the eve of Valentine’s Day at K.R. Market on February 13 | Photo Credit: AFP
According to her, the overall demand for roses, in general, has increased considerably since last year, when the daily maximum average volume of flowers sold was about 6.5-7 lakhs. “We sold out around 9.2 lakhs of roses yesterday, of which 40-45% will be red roses,” says Veena.
Valentine’s fresh flower bouquets getting ready at Sri Hari flower stall near Shivanand store circle, ahead of Valentine’s Day celebrations. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K
Bengaluru’s excellent location, climate and soil conditions greatly favour rose cultivation in and around the city, making it one of the biggest exporters in India.
Different colours of rose grown at Cubbon Park. | Photo Credit: Bhagya Prakash K
In fact, as Veena points out, the growing area has been extended by almost 25-30% this year, with growers hailing from places like Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Anekal, Tumkur and Hosur attending the auctions daily. “Bangalore is a flower hub due to the flowers quality and shelf life. Because of that, they are preferred,” she says, adding that the high volume has ensured that the average price of roses has come down considerably from last year.
Different colours of Rose grown at Cubbon park. | Photo Credit: Bhagya Prakash K
