Flower trade booms in Falgun

Pahela Falgun, the first day of spring, announces its arrival again to paint nature in green with bloom of flowers and new leaves in trees. Nature is getting fresh look with vivid colours that touch heart and minds of the people of all ages. 

When it comes to celebrating Pahela Falgun, International Mother Language Day and Valentine's Day – all falling within this month of February, nobody can think other than flowers.  

Thus, the demand for flowers rise steeply, giving flower traders to cash in on those occasions. 

Many species such as rose, gerbera, gladioli, dahlias, sunflowers and China roses are on offer different markets across the country.

Over Tk20 crore sales of flowers at Godkhali

Traders in Jashore expect to earn up to Tk60 crore from flower sales this month.  

"We have already sold flowers amounting to Tk20 crore over the last few days," said Abdur Rahim, president of the Bangladesh Flowers Society and also former president of Godkhali Flower Farmers' Welfare Association. 

They hope to sell flowers worth Tk40 crore on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day, he added.

The wholesale flower market at Godkhali in Jhikorgachha upazila meets 60 percent of the country's total demand for flowers.  This region has been producing flowers on a commercial basis since 1983. 

Prices of flowers are higher this year with the demand surpassing supply. Per piece of rose was selling at Tk15, a bunch of 100 gladioli at Tk400-Tk12,00, gerbera at Tk600-Tk12,00 and tuberose (rajanigandha) at Tk400-Tk500 in the market. 

Taher, a local flower grower, said he sold Tk7 lakh of flowers ahead of Pahela Falgun and Valentine's Day. Last year, his sales were only Tk2 lakh, he added.

Abdur Rahim said around the livelihoods of 30 lakh people in the country depend on flowers. 

"Around 20,000 farmers cultivate flowers. Of them, 5,000-6,000 farmers are in Jashore. Though the production of flowers was not as expected this year, the farmers are happy over fair prices," he said.

Emdad Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension, Jashore office, said this year flowers were cultivated on 632 hectares of land in the district. 

Jhenidah sales go beyond expectation 

Flower farmers in Jhenidah hope that this year they will get more profits than in any other years. 

Grower Shariful Islam at Shahapur village in Kaliganj upazila, cultivates marigold and tuberose. 

He said, "Usually, he sells flowers worth Tk1.5 lakh every month on an average. But, this month I have already sold Tk2.5 lakh of flowers, which was more than my expectation." 

Kamal Hossain, another flower cultivator at Kolonypara village in Moheshpur upazila, has been cultivating gerbera for the last two years. 

On Wednesday, he sold a piece of the variety at Tk12-Tk17. 

Narayanganj traders bring flowers from Jashore to meet demand

The demand for flowers in Narayanganj has increased this year. 

Flower traders in this district usually supply flowers to Dhaka and Chattogram after meeting local demand. 

But, this season they had to bring flowers from Jashore to meet the demand in Narayanganj as the production was not good.

Khorshed Alam Mollah, a flower farmer at Sabdi area in Bandar upazila, said in the last two days, he sold flowers worth around Tk2 lakh. 

Last year, he sold Tk1 lakh of flowers on the occasions of Pahela Falgun, Valentine's Day and Ekushey February. 

He expects to earn more than this amount on the occasion of the upcoming International Mother Language Day.

Al Amin, a flower trader at Kalir Bazar in the district town, said the flower market was abuzz with buyers yesterday. 

"We are selling the flowers at good prices," he added.