Kathmandu: Demand for red roses have increased ahead of Valentine’s day. As the local production is very low, 50,000 more red roses will be imported from India for Valentine’s Day this year compared to the last year.
Due to the corona infection, traders have not invested much in the business for the past two years and since the beginning of Januar.
The market demand for the red rose, also known as a symbol of love, was 180,000 sticks last year, but this year the market demand has increased by 50,000 sticks. Last year, domestic production was 20 percent of the market demand. At present, only 10 percent of the demand has been fulfilled by the local production, stated the Floriculture Association of Nepal (FAN).
According to FAN, it is estimated that 250,000 stick roses will be consumed this year. Roses worth Rs. 20 million are traded every year. About 40 percent of the flowers brought in this way are consumed in Kathmandu Valley and other major cities of the country.
This year, consumers will have to pay between Rs 80 and Rs 100 per stick for roses.
This price is higher than pevious years. The Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 every year. One and a half billion flowers are traded in Nepal annually on this occasion. Flowers worth Rs 70 million have been traded during the festival alone.
Similarly, flowers worth about Rs 50 million are imported annually.