Valentine’s Day isn’t a Hindu holiday. But the Western celebration of love is driving a boom in flower exports this year that has brought some cheer to a wilting Indian economy.
Foreign buyers “are snapping up everything on offer,” said Anne Ramesh, president of the South India Floriculture Association, a trade group in Bangalore, which is one of the country’s main flower-export hubs.
Holiday exports of exotic Taj Mahal roses, named after the famous Moghul-era monument to love, and other varieties of the flower are expected to rise 50% this year, industry groups said.
Valentines shipments from India could total 10 million to 12 million stems, thanks to long U.S. Presidents Day weekend and chilly weather in China, which has dented production there. Export prices are up about 20% industry executives said.
India trails major flower exporters Kenya, Ethiopia, Ecuador and Colombia. But this year’s rise in exports is a shot in the arm for India, which is looking to boost farmers’ income by encouraging such value-added production.
Many state governments have been offering subsidies to help in the construction of greenhouses in an effort to speed the shift.Valentine’s Day accounts for about a fifth of India’s total annual exports of flowers, making February by far the busiest time for growers.
This year, it is coinciding with an unusually long wedding season in India – prolonged by auspicious marriage dates in February – leaving flower supplies extremely tight in India’s home market.
“With the export demand so robust, we are finding it hard to get enough for domestic flower auctions,” said C.G. Nagaraju, managing director of International Flower Auction Bangalore Ltd.
Bidders battled Wednesday over lots of roses on the floor of the auction house. The deep red Taj Mahals were the best sellers, going for 360 rupees for a bunch of 20. First Red roses were also popular, drawing bids of 300 rupees.
On average, the house moves 150,000 to 180,000 roses a day. On Wednesday, the auction house said, 262,000 stems were sold.
Conservative Hindu groups often protest against Valentine’s Day celebrations in India, saying the holiday is a pernicious foreign influence.
But Mr. Nagaraju said, “We don’t see it as a cultural point. We see it as an opportunity for growers to get better prices.”
Valentine’s Day is becoming more popular in Indian cities, but the Indian demand for flowers currently is mostly because of auspicious wedding dates this month. Industry members say domestic demand this season could be also as much as 5 million stems, but again, mostly because of weddings.
Source:- blogs.wsj.com
No comments:
Post a Comment