The COVID-19 lockdown has caused the cut-flower business in Kerala to wilt.
Madhu Sankar, florist and owner of Lalith Flora here, says the orders have plummeted.
“Sales have dipped from ₹10,000 a day in February to ₹3,000 in mid-March. Trade has shifted significantly from walk-in buys to online orders,” he says.
The epidemic has eclipsed the demand for flowers. Cancellation of weddings, the mainstay of the floral business, is the main reason. The government has put a limit on gatherings to retard the pace of the viral outbreak, putting marriage halls, malls, jewellery showrooms, textile shops and cinemas out of business for now. Hotels laid low by the outbreak are in no mood for ornamental flowers and foliage to decorate tables and embellish foyers.
Rahul Raveendran, an ornamental horticulturist, says orchid stems are in full bloom. However, the seasonal harvest is not paying dividends because of the dip in demand. By a rough estimate, at least 30 acres in rural Thiruvananthapuram is dedicated to the cultivation of orchids, ornamental plants and foliage.
Farms
The farms are spread out over the suburbs of Neyyattinkara, Kallambalam, Navaikulam, Nedumangadu and Kazhakuttam.
Exotically named Aranthera, Teacher Julin, Anne Black, Beatrix, and Spider grow under shade nets in what was once fallow land. Heliconia varieties, decorative foliage and genetically tweaked miniature gingers, pineapples and plantain are also cultivated.
Mr. Raveendran says orders from New Delhi have dropped from twice a week to once a fortnight. The intake of ornamental foliage and flowers by clients in Mumbai and Bangalore has also plummeted.
In Tamil Nadu, the marriage season is over and so has the demand. Ornamental horticulture in Kerala is minimal compared to other neighbouring States. Most of the cultivation is on smallholdings or terrace tops. The sector provides employment and income to many. With the outbreak slowing down the demand further, flower growers feel the forecast is not rosy for them till the COVID-19 threat recedes.
