KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 26
The incessant rainfall that took place on September 27 and 28 has inflicted significant damage to the floriculture business as well.
As a result, the price of Sayapatri or Marigold flowers is expected to rise during the upcoming Tihar festival.
Flowers that had just started blooming were damaged due to the rain resulting in a loss of around Rs. 150 million, said Dilip Bade, chair of Nepal Floriculture Association.
For the upcoming Tihar festival, 1.5 million garlands are going to be imported from India. Bade said that last year the cost was Rs 65 to Rs 70 per garland but this year the wholesale price will be around Rs 80 to Rs 85 per garland.
There is a demand of 700,000 Sayapatri flower garlands this year compared to last year. Last year 3.3 million garlands were sold during the Tihar festival. Of the total market demand for flower garlands 60 percent is in Kathmandu Valley. There is a market demand for 4 million Sayaparti flower garlands for this year's festival.
According to the Floriculture Association, though the market demand for this year's Tihar festival is 4 million garlands the domestic production is only 2.5 million garlands. Market demand increases by 15 to 20 percent every year, but production increases by only 10 percent at most.
With the increase in the demand for flowers, farming of flowers has expanded to 52 districts including Kaski, Chitwan, Makwanpur, Kavrepalanchok, Gulmi, Palpa, Dhading, Morang, along with three districts of Kathmandu Valley.
