One stem of Valentine's rose costs Rs 60

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This Valentine season, even a simple gift as rose may turn costly. For, rose production seems to have taken a hit owing to extended chilly weather across the country.

Hence, despite a spike in both export and domestic demand, supply of flowers to the markets has been affected.

This short supply is expected to quadruple rose prices from its current average ruling price of about Rs 15-20 per stem to `60 per stem, estimates industry body Assocham.

“The cold weather which usually improves in January, especially after Sankranti, continues this year. This has taken a toll in the production which has dipped by about 15-20 per cent,” said V. Jamma, owner of Pune-based Suntek Farms Pvt Ltd. Optimal weather is key to blooming of roses.

Hosur in Tamil Nadu, which roughly accounts for 30 per cent of the country’s total cut rose exports of around RS 500 crore per annum, also experienced an extended winter this year. Though officials of Tanflora Infrastructure Park are tight-lipped about production figures, it is learnt that rose production is down by 15 per cent in the region.

With a depreciating rupee, rose exporters could have had a profitable year had the weather not played truant. However, most of them are happy that there is a spurt in domestic demand which has shown significant increase in prices too. “Good prices are available from domestic market itself and there is enough demand,” says Shweta V.C of Redblossoms in Bengaluru.

Tier II and tier III cities have shown an increased penchant for roses this Valentine season, validates an Assocham study. Cities like Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Surat, Kanpur, Lucknow, Patna among others are driving the high demand for roses in the domestic circuit, it says.