10 percent hike in garland price during Tihar

-Sharmila Pathak 

Kathmandu - There will be a 10 percent increment in the price of marigold garland during Tihar this year as compared to last year, with the demand increment for the garlands, and the festival that falls earlier this year, traders said. 

All flowers are yet to bloom as the festival is two weeks earlier this year, which causes a rise in demand for marigold garlands prompting the price increment, said the Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN), an NGO established to organise and promote floriculture business in Nepal, adding that garlands worth Rs 1.5 million are in demand this year, an increment from Rs 1.1 million last year. 

A marigold garland is priced at between Rs 60 to Rs 70, while one had to pay between Rs 50 to Rs 60 for a marigold garland last year. 

The total 300 thousand garlands worth Rs 9 million will be imported from India for the festival this year, said the FAN Chairperson Kumar Kasaju Shrestha. The imported garlands will reach Kathmandu within three days, he added. 

A total of 10 percent of the garlands is imported from India, a fall from 18 percent in previous years. Domestic production will make up the rest 90 percent of the demand. 

This year 1.5 million marigold garlands will be used for the festival, a jump from 1.1 million garlands, with the Kathmandu valley alone consuming 40 percent of it. Last year 200,000 garlands worth Rs 6 million were imported. 

Flowers were traded at Rs 1.71 billion in 2016 alone, with Rs 70 million worth of them during Tihar. 

Flowers worth approximately Rs 50 million are imported every year, with the Nepali months of Kartik, and Fagun witnessing increase in its the demand. 

Altogether 400 types of flowers are produced commercially in Nepal. The total 600 flower species are cultivated in around 147 hectares of land in Nepal where more than 41,000 people have benefited directly and indirectly from the business. 

Flower farming and nursery has started in 41 districts across the country including Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Makawanpur, Kavrepalanchok, Gulmi, Palpa, Dhading, Chitwan, Kaski and Morang.