Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s appeal, as part of a COVID-19 containment measure, to the people in his State not to buy flowers from neighbouring States during Onam has led to concern among flower-growers in Hosur.
Every year, Hosur region dispatches close to 500 tonnes of flowers for the pookkalams (floral carpets) that adorn the front yards of households in Kerala during Onam. Tamil Nadu sends over 750 tonnes of flowers to Kerala for Onam, said Bala Siva Prasad, president, Hosur Small Farmers Association and director, National Horticulture Board.
Hosur is the major supplier of flowers for Kerala’s Onam celebrations. Besides, flowers are sent from Sathyamanggalam, Nilakottai, Thovalai, and Coimbatore too.
Fields were prepared for Onam celebrations this summer taking into account the Central government’s promise of a vaccine by August 15, said Mr. Prasad. The open fields of Rayakottai here target their production to meet the Onam demand. Onam production is focused on cut flowers such as gerbera, carnation, chrysanthamum and loose flowers such as marigold and button roses that are sought after for the pookkalams.
Flower production has come down on 1,500 acres of green houses and 5,000 ha of open field in Hosur region in view of COVID-19. Though the extent of reduction is not clear yet, many farmers havd destroyed their fields due to shortage of labour. Many green houses continued to maintain the cultivation albeit with struggles.
Hosur’s flower growers had pinned their hopes on the 10-day Onam festivities slated to start from August 22. According to Mr. Prasad, 90% of Kerala’s flowers are sent from Tamil Nadu and so the appeal by Mr. Vijayan would impact the State.
On Wednesday, the flower market fetched a price of ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 per tonne ahead of Onam. But, now farmers are worried about a de facto ban on flowers into Kerala.
“While vegetables, rice and other essential commodities are allowed, and meat and fish markets function, there is no reason to ban flowers from Tamil Nadu. There is little chance of infection in the open fields with the use of fertilizers and chemicals. The same precautions that are taken for other essential commodities can be followed for flower movement too. When, the surface area of vegetables is larger than flowers, there is no logic to singling out flowers,” said Mr.Prasad.
Due to troubles with long-distance transport, the quantity of flowers that are usually sent to the Mumbai market for Ganesh Chathurthi celebrations had be cut down, he added. Kerala is the only accessible market with an upcoming demand for Onam. By August 21, the dispatches should have begun. But with the appeal from the Kerala Chief Minister, farmers are unsure.
