Flower and fruit prices soar ahead of Varamahalakshi festival in Bengaluru

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Blooming prices: Crowds thronged K.R. Market on Wednesday, shopping for flowers, coconuts, fruits, vegetables and banana leaves ahead of the Varamahalakshmi festival, even as prices of flowers and fruits surged due to heightened demand. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

As demand for flowers and fruits surges ahead of Varamahalakshmi festival, prices have risen across Bengaluru markets.

G.M. Diwakar, a member of the K.R. Market Flower Merchants Association, said, “Chrysanthemums are priced between ₹200 and ₹400 per kg, roses at ₹300 per kg, mallige (jasmine) at ₹500 to ₹800 per kg, and kanakambara at ₹3,000 per kg. On Thursday, prices are expected to rise again and may touch ₹4,500 per kg.”

Mr. Diwakar explained, “As the lotus is believed to be the favourite flower of Goddess Lakshmi, people prefer buying it in larger numbers. On normal days, a lotus stem costs between ₹15 and ₹25. However, on Thursday and Friday, the price will rise to ₹50-₹100 per stem. K.R. Market records its highest sales during the Varamahalakshmi festival, compared with other festivals such as Dasara and Deepavali. During normal days, prices are less than half of what they are during this festival.”

Gopinath S., another flower vendor from Gandhi Bazaar, said, “The price of kanagale , or oleander flowers, has increased from ₹100 to ₹500 per kg. There are several reasons for the rise in flower and fruit prices. One is the deficit rainfall reported this year. Also, people who want to celebrate festivals will buy these items regardless of how expensive they are.

“However, farmers are not really benefiting from these prices. It is the middlemen in the mandis who are benefiting from the rise in market prices,” he said.

Similarly, fruit prices have also increased by ₹50 to ₹100 owing to higher demand during the festival.

Rajaram, a fruit merchant in K.R. Market, said, “People prefer buying apples, bananas, pomegranates, mosambi and oranges during this festival. Prices of all these fruits have increased. Washington apples, which were priced at ₹200 per kg last week, have increased to ₹320 per kg in the past two days. Indian apples, which were ₹150 per kg, have gone up to ₹180 per kg. Similarly, pomegranates are priced between ₹150 and ₹250 per kg, depending on the size of the fruit. Yelakki bananas cost ₹80 to ₹120 per kg, while Robusta bananas are priced at ₹50 to ₹60 per kg.”

Meanwhile, Abdul Razzaq, another fruit vendor at Russell Market, said, “We purchase fruits from K.R. Market at wholesale prices and sell them here. Retail prices vary by ₹10 to ₹15 for each fruit, depending on its size and quality.”

Ananthnarayan, a customer who visited Russell Market for fruits and K.R. Market for flowers, said, “Varamahalakshmi is one of the most important festivals for women in many households. Therefore, no matter how expensive flowers, fruits and vegetables are, I buy them for my wife. “I bought half a kg each of seven varieties of fruits and 1 kg of mixed flowers, including jasmine, kanakambara, lotus and chrysanthemum.