Valentine's Week Ignites Early Morning Bustle at Chennai's Flower Markets
As Valentine's Week unfolds, the lanes surrounding Parry's Corner Flower Bazaar and Koyambedu market in Chennai come alive well before dawn. By 4:30 AM, retailers, florists, and city residents are already navigating through stacks of vibrant crimson blooms, all searching for the freshest roses available.
Gunny sacks overflow with locally grown stems sourced from Hosur and Krishnagiri. These roses are meticulously bundled in lots of 100 and swiftly counted under the glow of dim yellow bulbs. When one customer decided to double-check a bundle, a vendor responded with a chuckle, "Count pannunga madam, 100-ku 100 irukkum!" (Count it, madam, there will be exactly 100!).
Consumers Feel the Pinch of Rising Prices
Nearby, IT professional Shalini was selecting roses for her fiancé. She expressed her concern over the escalating costs, stating, "Last year, I paid significantly less. This time, the prices have clearly shot up, but you simply can't skip roses during Valentine's Week in Chennai."
Massive Daily Influx of Roses from Neighboring Regions
R Rajasekar of Sri Amman Flowers at Parry's Corner flower bazaar provided insight into the market dynamics. "Demand has surged this year, but our margins remain tight because procurement itself has become expensive," he explained.
He elaborated on the logistics, noting, "Trucks begin arriving from Hosur and Bengaluru as early as 2 AM. On average, four to six mini trucks unload close to 350 boxes daily. Each box contains approximately 20 to 25 bundles of 20 roses each. This means nearly 2.5 lakh roses reach Chennai markets every day during this peak week alone."
Supply Shortages and Transportation Costs Drive Price Hikes
At Koyambedu, trader M Suresh of Sree Murugan Flower Mart detailed the reasons behind the price spike. "Last year, a bundle of 100 red roses ranged from ₹300 to ₹900 before Valentine's Day, reaching around ₹1,100 on February 14. This year, it's already ₹1,700 to ₹1,900 early in the week and may touch ₹2,450 tomorrow," he revealed.
Suresh attributed this sharp increase to two primary factors: unseasonal rains in Hosur which have reduced supply, and higher transportation costs that further inflate prices.
Retail Prices Reflect Premium Packaging and Presentation
The price escalation is even more pronounced at the retail level. Priya Raman, owner of Petals & Blooms in Besant Nagar, shared, "We are selling a bouquet of 20 premium long-stem roses for ₹900 to ₹1,100. Our customers prioritize presentation, which includes imported wrapping, baby's breath fillers, and personalized notes. Naturally, this results in higher prices compared to wholesale."
The combination of robust demand, constrained supply, and added retail embellishments ensures that Chennai's love for roses comes at a premium during this romantic week.
