Fall in rose prices worries Gadkhali growers

The wholesale price of roses at the Gadkhali flower market in Jashore has plummeted this year, leaving growers deeply frustrated.

Hiron Mia, a rose grower from Panisara village in Jhikargacha upazila, arrived at the wholesale flower market at 6:00 am on Thursday with 500 red roses.

Despite his efforts to attract buyers, he was unable to sell a single rose until 9:00 am due to unexpectedly low prices.

Talking to the UNB correspondent, he expressed his disappointment, saying, "This year, the rose market is not doing well. The price of each rose has not exceeded Tk 6 to 7, which is far lower than expected. The rates offered by traders do not even cover production costs, and compared to last year, the prices have dropped by more than half."

Despite the early morning chill and fog, flower growers from surrounding areas arrived at the Gadkhali market with various flowers, including roses, marigolds, gerberas, gladioluses, tuberoses, jasmine, gypsy flowers and kamini leaves, transporting them on bicycles, motorcycles, and vans.

More than 2,000 growers gathered at the market, selling their produce to wholesale buyers from across the country.

Local farmers believe political instability and an overabundance of flowers this season may be key factors behind the price slump.

Delbar Hossain, a rose grower from Patuapara, said, "I cultivated roses on 30 decimals of land, and today I brought 3,000 roses to the market—1,200 red roses and 1,800 capped roses. I sold the capped roses for Tk 4 each and the red ones for Tk 8 each."

According to growers, cultivating roses on one bigha (approximately 33 decimals) of land costs nearly Tk 1.5 lakh. After three months of planting, the flowers start blooming, and the plants can continue producing roses for 10 to 12 years. But the low prices this year are making it difficult for them to recover their investments.

Nazim, another flower grower, said, "I have been cultivating roses for eight years, and this year I planted flowers on 38 decimals of land. I brought 3,000 roses to the market, selling each for Tk 4. My production cost was Tk 1.2 lakh, but I have only been able to sell roses worth Tk 25,000. I am struggling to pay off my fertiliser store debts."

During a visit to the market, this correspondent observed wholesale buyers from various districts, including Dhaka, Barishal, Sirajganj, and Chuadanga, loading flowers onto buses, microbuses, and pickup vans for distribution.

Sohel Hossain, a wholesale buyer from Khulna, said that he had purchased roses and gladioluses at lower prices than last year, intending to resell them in various locations.

Flower growers in Gadkhali eagerly wait for February each year, as demand peaks around the first day of Falgun, Valentine's Day and International Mother Language Day.

Abu Jafar, General Secretary of the Gadkhali Flower Growers and Traders Welfare Association, attributed the price drop to unseasonal warm weather, which led to an early bloom, particularly of gladioluses. "As a result, the demand for roses decreased, pushing down their price. Besides, the overlap of Valentine's Day with Shab-e-Barat made retailers more cautious and less willing to take risks," he said.

Abu Talha, a training officer at the Jessore district office of the Department of Agricultural Extension, said flowers are being cultivated on 637 hectares in Jessore, involving nearly 3,000 farmers.

He attributed the low prices to peak production coinciding with an increased supply but expressed hope that prices might rise slightly in the coming days.