Pune flower sellers are seeing a tough time even during the peak of festivity due to the dip in prices of marigold flowers. On Dussehra, Pune’s Gultekdi Market Yard traditionally receives truckloads of marigolds that arrive from across Maharashtra to meet the huge demand for garlands and decorations. But this year, heavy rains and flooding in Marathwada and other regions have left farmers devastated, reducing both the quality and quantity of the flowers.
Despite braving waist-deep water to harvest their crops, farmers are now forced to sell marigolds at just ₹50–60 per kilo, while only the best-quality flowers are being sold at around ₹100. Many shopkeepers are finding buyers reluctant, dampening their hopes during what is normally their busiest season.
A farmer from Karmala, who planted marigolds across two acres, said, "Because of the excessive rains, most of my crop was damaged. I managed to save just four tonnes, wading through knee-deep water. I drove overnight to Pune, hoping for a better price, but here too, I am offered only ₹50 per kilo, and people aren’t even ready to buy at that. We have lost both ways—first due to the floods, and now because there’s no demand. I appeal to the Chief Minister to declare a wet drought and immediately support farmers like us."
Traders at Market Yard also confirmed that flower arrivals have halved compared to previous years. “Usually, Dussehra sees huge inflows of marigolds. This year, the rains destroyed much of the crop. Good-quality flowers are selling between ₹70 and ₹100, but damaged flowers are going for as low as ₹20. This year, even the flower arrivals are down by nearly 50 per cent, and around 60 per cent of the marigolds have been damaged—many have even turned black. Only about 40 per cent of the stock is of good quality. Compared to earlier years, flower purchasing from Kopargaon and Aurangabad markets has also dropped. Even from Konkan areas like Ratnagiri, the supply has gone down," said Sagar Bhosale, coordinator at the flower market association in Pune.
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Meanwhile, chrysanthemums are in slightly better demand, selling between ₹90 and ₹140 per kilo. But for marigold farmers, whose yellow and orange blossoms usually symbolise prosperity during Dussehra, the festival has brought only hardship this year, added Bhosale.
