Rain in Pune, Baramati damages marigold crop; flower prices may rise in Mumbai before Diwali

Mumbaikars may have to pay more than usual for marigolds this Diwali. Heavy rain in Baramati and Pune has damaged the crop, and there is concern that prices, which already rise during the festival season, will climb further.

More than 100 mm of rain fell in parts of Baramati and Pune on November 2, hitting the flower crop. Plants rotted, and in some places they were physically damaged. This has raised concern about a shortfall in marigold supply.

According to sellers at the Dadar flower market, the impact will be felt in Mumbai over the next two days. Marigolds are currently steady at Rs 80 a kg, but sellers expect the price to go up to Rs 120.

Rohit Jadhav, a fellow seller, said, "Everything is steady for now. Depending on how people bargain when they come early in the morning, we sometimes give a kilo of flowers for Rs 60 or Rs 70 as well. But our usual price at present is Rs 80."

Rohit Gupta, a friend of Rohit's, said, "Even without crop damage, marigold prices are very unpredictable. Sometimes they are high, sometimes low. We have sometimes sold flowers for as little as Rs 20."

Vitthal Pawar, who mainly sells marigolds in the market, said, "The price of flowers is Rs 80 a kg at the moment, but I think it will rise. The main reason is the rain. Just two days ago, the best flowers were Rs 60 a kg; on the day after the rain, the price went up to Rs 80. Supply is still coming in as usual, but we will have to see what happens over the next two days. We think the price will go beyond Rs 100 a kg."

Rahul Raut, a marigold seller at the Dadar flower market, said, "When festivals draw near, marigold prices usually rise because of demand. Demand is strong now, but there is a shortage because of the rain. The crops have been badly damaged. So I think prices may go up to Rs 120 a kg. This market can never be predicted."

Dhanraj Raut, a seasonal seller, said, "In the Dadar market alone, some sellers offer the best flowers at Rs 60 a kg, while others charge Rs 80. Beyond that, prices swing up and down for uncertain reasons. Now that the rain has badly damaged the crop, most of my friends who sell marigolds are sure the price will go beyond Rs 120 a kg."