As thousands of buyers seek red roses to fill bouquets and multicolored ones to decorate wedding venues, Karnataka, the top producer of roses in India, has more than doubled the production of the flower in 2022 to 1,71,880 tonnes against 76,910 tonnes in 2018, according to data from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
Similarly, Karnataka’s production of chrysanthemums has nearly doubled in the past five years. Growers attribute the rise in demand for chrysanthemums and light-colored roses to decorations in weddings and events.
“In the past four-five years, light-colored roses have become popular. White roses are preferred in winter,” says P Jaganatharaju, a rose grower and exporter. Between January and April, demand goes up five-fold, he adds.
Another exporter from the city agrees: “The International Flower Auction Bangalore handles about 3.25 lakh stems on an average day, but during Valentine’s Day celebrations, it ranges from 6.5 to 8 lakh stems a day.” A single-stem rose that would otherwise sell for Rs 4 to Rs 6, costs around Rs 8 to Rs 15 during the season.
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