[cenRealliat]

Has the colour red anything do with Valentine’s Day? “Yes” say florists in the hills here who gearing up to meet the demands for hill grown cut-flowers for Valentine’s Day which is round the corner.

There is already a demand for hill-grown carnations, gerbera, liliums and anthurims, said S. Sunder, a florist here. Roses are the most preferred flowers for the Valentine’s Day, but the red carnations and other flowers with of the colour will also be in great demand as commercial cut-roses are not grown in Nilgiris as the agro-climatic condition is not suitable.

“The flowers grown in the Nilgiris are used as alternatives to rose, especially as the price of roses will skyrocket on Valentine’s Day.

As such, the demand for commercial cut-flowers such as carnation and anthuriums grown in Nilgiris will soar,” he said. K. Mani, another florist here, echoed these thoughts and said that Ooty grown cut-flowers such as carnations and alstromaria will be used for decorations in hotels where special programmes will be organised for Valentine’s Day. These varieties of flowers from the Nilgiris will be exported to places such as Bengaluru and other metros across the country.

“This year because of the frost and severe cold, the yield of hill-grown flowers has come down. Flowers that have the Valentine’s Day touch are under cultivation only in a few greenhouses,” Mani said.

“Already the price of these flowers has started increasing. By next week it is expected to be more than Rs.15 per stem. Certainly Valentine’s Day is an occasion for florists to look forward to profit and good revenue,” he said.

-dc chn