Gudimalkapur flower market turns dumping yard in second Covid wave

HYDERABAD: Although the cultivation of flowers has been good this year, the business at the Gudimalkapur flower market has been negatively impacted by the second wave of Covid-19. The market, which receives nearly 300 quintals of flowers from various districts during the season, is receiving less than 200 quintals amid the lockdown.  

“More than half of the fresh flowers we purchase from farmers are being dumped into the trash. There is no business. Temples are closed, weddings and other celebrations are taking place in a low-key manner. People are not even purchasing flowers for funerals these days,” said Mohemmed Akeel, a flower merchant at Gudimalkapur flower market. 

Seasonal flowers such as marigolds, carnations, chrysanthemums, crossandra (Kanakambaram), and roses are being sold for dirt cheap prices. “I am selling roses at the price I sold 10 years ago, Rs 25 per kg,” said Sandeep Naik, a rose farmer from Chavella.  “A week ago the roses were being sold at Rs 250-300 a kg. After the imposition of lockdown, most of the produce is going into the trash,” he added.  

The Gudimalkapur flower market, which is one of the largest flower markets in the State, sported a deserted look on Tuesday. Most of the shops remained closed, even during the permitted hours between 6-10 am. When Express enquired, shop owners said that there is a 60 per cent downfall in their business.    

A florist G Ramesh Yadav, who specialises in making garlands for local temples, said, “My entire business is dependent on temples. All the temples are closed now. With it, I lost the majority of my customers.”  
Around 10 am all the florists started dumping flowers in the garbage bin. “Flowers perish so we cannot keep them,” one of them said.