Flower traders of the country are counting severe losses as their sales went down drastically in the wake of continuous blockade programmes enforced by the BNP-led 18 party alliance
Never before had they witnessed such a decline in sales during winter which is considered the peak season for flower sale.
Many of the flower traders in capital’s Uttara, Shahbag and Baily Road area claimed that for last two months they have been incurring a loss of Tk2,000 per week.
This is the time of the year when they usually draw a handsome profit. Winter, the quintessential wedding season triggers a high demand for flowers, however, this year the scenario happens to be different.
Mohammad Liton, a sales executive of Ananya Pushpo Bitan, a flower shop in capital’s Shahbag area, said: “We used to earn a profit of Tk20,000-25,000 per month during this season but now we are facing a loss of Tk10,000 every month. It is 12pm now and I sold flowers worth only Tk200 since morning. We have to pay our labours from our pockets although we are going through severe loss.”
The shop owners have to pay Tk 350-400 to the senior labourers and Tk250- 300 to the junior labourers per day, he said.
“We bought 500 pieces of flowers at Tk5,000 yesterday but at least 50-60 pieces of flowers worth Tk600 were perished at night. Seeing no other option we just had to throw them into garbage bin,” said Liton.
Another flower trader Abdus Salam of Shahjalal Pushpo Kendra, a flower shop in Uttara, said: “At least three orders got cancelled during this week. Last month we went through a loss of Tk12,000. We hope to make up the losses in January after the elections are over.”
A customer in the Shahbagh area, Zivan Sultana, said: “I had to postpone my wedding because of the blockades. I previously ordered flowers for my ‘Gaye Holud’ [a ceremony to apply turmeric on the bodies of the bride and groom] but later had to cancel it and organise the programme at my home with few guests.”
She added, “Because of the ongoing blockade and political unrest, I cannot organise the wedding as I had desired and planned to do.”
Another customer Jannatul Ferdous cancelled an order worth Tk10,000. The traders scratched Tk3,000 as compensation, she said.
Flowers of different shapes and colours-Rose, Gladiolus, Chrysanthemums, Orchid, Gerbera, Pompom, Gypsy, Marigold, Tuberose, Lavender, Sunflower and Oxeye daisy-are pick of the season. At least 35 types of flowers are available in the market of which roses are cultivated mainly in Savar and Gladiolus in Jessore.
Roses (one piece) are sold at Tk10, Gypsy (one bundle) at Tk50, Pompom (one bundle) at Tk10, Chrysanthemums (one piece) at Tk10 and Gerbera (one piece) at Tk7- 10.
Floral ornaments are on high demand during the wedding season, according to the flower traders.
According to sources in the Department of Agricultural Extension under the Ministry of Agriculture, different types of flowers are cultivated on around 10,000 bighas of land including 1500 bighas of cultivation land in Jhenidah district.
They said a large quantity of flowers were rotten on the fields this year.
President of Shahbag Ful Market Committee Babul Proshad said: “Most of the flowers come from Jhikorgacha upazila under Jessore district and Jibon Nagar upazila under Chuadanga district. We have contracts with the farmers. We bring flowers from them on a daily basis.”
He said: “These days we are not being able to bring the flowers because of the blockades.
Two pickup vans were vandalised by pickets and at least 5000 pieces of flowers were destroyed by the pickets this month.”
President of Bangladesh Flower Growers and Exporters Association M Ahsan Ullah said: “Flowers mainly come from Jessore, Bagura and Chittagong districts. But transport workers fear to bring out vehicles during blockade, though, we managed to bring some flowers by vans from Jessore.”
“How can people be interested to buy flowers when they are scared to come out of home even? Government should pay attention in this sector,” urged Ahsan.