Red hibiscus prices skyrocket in Kolkata on Kali Puja day

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Kolkata, Nov 8 (IANS) The price of red hibiscus, an essential item for Kali Puja rituals, shot up more than fivefold in Kolkata’s retail markets on Sunday, as the auspicious occasion coincides with Diwali.

A garland of 108 red hibiscus flowers is selling between Rs 150 and Rs 200 in retail markets, depending on the locality, up from around Rs 25 to Rs 30 just a week ago.

The price of a garland of 1,008 pieces of red hibiscus, which is mainly sold on the occasion of Kali Puja or during special occasions, this year is really pinching the pockets this year, with the price of the item having almost doubled from what it was in the previous year.

On Sunday, a garland of 1,008 pieces of red hibiscus was selling at between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,200, against a maximum price of Rs 700 to Rs 800 last year.

According to flower-market retailers, red hibiscus is in demand almost throughout the entire year. However, before Kali Puja, the demand increases several times. Although the flowers are sold at a relatively low price throughout the year, during the Kali Puja festival, their demand and price rise for several reasons.

“The increase in the price of red hibiscus starts from the point of farmers, who sell their products at premium prices, the cascading effect of which is automatically felt first in the wholesale markets and then in the retail markets,” a flower retailer from Gariahat market in South Kolkata said.

In most retail markets in the city, the sellers have stopped selling individual pieces of red hibiscus on Sunday. A local flower retailer from Kasba Market, also in South Kolkata, said that selling individual pieces of red hibiscus will be at a loss compared to selling it in garlands, since the price of the latter is a combination of the price of the flowers and the charge for weaving the garland.

Besides red hibiscus, the price of lotus is selling at more than double the normal price on Sunday. The price of lotus, which was selling between Rs 10 and Rs 15 a week back, is selling between Rs 30 and Rs 35 on Sunday.

While saffron marigold was selling between Rs 180 and Rs 200 a kg, the same for yellow marigold was between Rs 210 and Rs 220 a kg on Sunday.

–IANS

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