By james art KATHMANDU, Oct 27: This year, Nepal will face a shortage of marigold flowers to celebrate during the upcoming Tihar festival, also known as the flower festival, as a significant part of the local production was damaged by the calamities caused by the incessant rains on September 27 and 28. Stakeholders say that apart from insufficient local production, the government-imposed ban on flower imports is likely to affect the availability and market price of flowers in the domestic market.
Three types of flowers – marigold, globe amaranth and chrysanthemum – are in high demand during Tihar every year. According to officials from the Florist Association of Nepal (FAN), local production will be able to meet the demand of about 600,000 garlands of ground amaranth and chrysanthemum this year. However, garlands of the most sought-after flower, marigold, will see as much as 37.5 percent shortage in supply during Tihar.
According to FAN president, Dilip Bade, the domestic market will see a shortage of around 1.5 million marigold garlands this year. He added that farmers in the areas around the Kathmandu Valley alone have suffered losses of over 150 million rupees due to the recent calamity incidents.
“We are anticipating a demand of around four million marigold garlands for the Tihar festival this year,” Bade told Republica, “However, local producers can only offer 2.5 million garlands.”
The increase in demand along with the decrease in supply is also expected to increase the wholesale price of marigold garlands by about 32 percent during this year’s Tihar compared to last year’s festival. According to President Bade, the wholesale price of marigold garlands was around Rs 60-65 during the last Tihar. “This year, we expect a wholesale price of around Rs 80-85 per marigold garland,” he said.
Last year, 3.3 million garlands were sold during the Tihar festival. There is an additional demand for 700,000 marigold garlands this year compared to last year, Bade said.
Last year, local production was able to meet about 90 percent of the demand for marigold garlands during the flower festival.
FAN expected domestic production to meet 95 percent of demand this year, but rain-induced disasters played the major role.
With the domestic market failing to perform as predicted this year and the embargo on flower imports, FAN expects an influx of marigold garlands from India through illegal channels. According to FAN President Bade, this reverse import channel will also create market pressure and increase the wholesale price as Indian sellers will demand more price to export garlands through illegal means.
“If illegally imported smuggled garlands enter the Nepali market, the wholesale price of such garlands can go up to Rs 200 per garland,” Bade informed Republica.
Meanwhile, as domestic production of chrysanthemums and globe amaranth exceeds domestic demand, Nepali flower growers are ready to export garlands of the two flowers internationally to cater to the Nepalese diaspora abroad. According to President Bade, Nepali florists will export garlands of the two flowers to countries like the US, UK, Russia and European Union countries with a significant Nepali diaspora.