Pune's Market Yard witnessed a significant surge in the sale of roses, bringing joy to farmers, wholesalers and retailers. Around 5,000 to 6,000 bunches of roses were sold by Friday afternoon in the market, reflecting a sharp rise in demand.
Farmers are celebrating the price hike, as the cost of one bunch of roses has doubled compared to last year. Krishna Shinde, a wholesaler of flowers, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, "This year, each bunch is selling for approximately ₹350-400, a stark increase from ₹180-200 in 2024. The soaring prices have brought unexpected profits, leading farmers to compare the festival season to Diwali."
Atul Shinde, a farmer from Tuljapur, highlighted, "This Valentine's Day is like Diwali for us. The sales are high, and the prices are better than last year. The profits could have been even greater if the import of artificial flowers from China were restricted. If the demand for natural flowers increases, we will see even better profits."
Prakash Kshirsagar, another wholesaler in Market Yard, expressed, "Flowers from foreign countries like Australia, Singapore and others are at ₹400 per bunch. Retailers are selling these flowers at ₹700-800 per bunch in the market. Accordingly, around ₹30-40 per piece is the market price."
Somnath More, also a wholesaler, emphasised, "It takes hard work to keep the flowers fresh for the customers. Farmers put in a lot of hard work behind it. However, they were not getting the price they deserved. But this time, farmers are definitely happy with the wholesale price of the flowers."
