Valentine’s Day heartache for Hosur rose growers

Kenyan roses smell sweeter

As the world celebrates Valentine’s Day, rose growers in Tamil Nadu, particularly those in Hosur, find themselves jilted — their Kenyan counterparts seem to draw more attention.

And back home, prices in local markets have wilted, although costs have risen.

Flower growers in Hosur said the quality of roses this year was better than last year. Even so, different export markets were affected by disparate reasons.

Hosur and Bengaluru are flower cultivation hubs in south India, while Pune and parts of Gujarat account for the bulk of cultivation in the north.

Hosur alone contributes 25-35 per cent to the country’s total flower production. According to Najeeb Ahmed, managing director of Tanflora Infrastructure Park, Hosur accounts for 75 per cent of the total flower production in south India. Valentine’s Day sales used to contribute 25-40 per cent to the flower growers’ annual revenue.

Some countries, such as Australia, recently tightened regulations to allow import of only fumigated flowers, for which Indian cultivators lack large-scale capabilities.

Exports to other strong markets, such as Singapore and Malaysia, were affected because the Chinese New Year falls on February 16. “The Chinese diaspora, a large part of the population in these countries, would be travelling to China. So, the demand for imported roses is limited,” said Bala Siva Prasad, president of the Hosur Small Farmers' Association.

Lebanon has seen a surge in rose production this year. In the West Asian and African markets, Kenyan growers are offering better quality flowers at the same price.

“Last year, Kenyan roses were priced at ~600 a bunch (one bunch has 20 flowers), and ours cost ~300-340. But this year, while our roses are priced at ~260-300, they are matching this rate with superior quality, posing a serious challenge,” said Chandrappa of CS Flora, a major flower exporter from Hosur.