According to traders, plastic garlands worth Rs 1.4 million has been imported from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other places in India.[break]
"These garlands look attractive, they are light in weight and cheaper”" said Mahendra Gupta, a trader in Mahendrapul. These garlands are easily available unlike the ones made of Makhamali flowers.
Price of a plastic garland ranges from Rs 30 to Rs 150 whereas the Makhalmali garland costs as high as Rs 300. However, the price went up by about 30 percent this season.“"We are selling garlands worth Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000”" said Gupta. Pokhara requires about 200,000 units of garlands for Tihar. “
"About 90 percent of the total flower required in Tihar is imported from India and seven percent is brought from neighboring districts like Tanahu, Syangja, Gorkha, Baglung, Chitwan and Makwanpur. The remaining three percent is grown locall”," said Sikandar Gurung, the president of Floriculture Association, Kaski. During Tihar, flowers and garlands do a business worth Rs 15 million . “
"I have been selling plastic garlands for 12 years. Some years ago, they were used to decorate houses. Now, they are also used for ritua”s," said Binod Mandal, a trader at Chiple Dhunga who sold garlands worth Rs 1.4 million this season.
As these garlands can be stored and does not fade away like flower garlands, trading plastic garlands is profitable. People of Pokhara usually do not grow Makhamali flowers for commercial purpose.
Marigold shortage in Chitwan
CHITWAN: People in the district are compelled to buy plastic flowers to decorate their homes during Tihar festival due to the shortage of marigold.
Chitwan is facing shortage of marigold - the mostly used flower during Tihar - as commercial flower farming in the district is on the wane due to unhindered arrivals of cheaper flowers from India. Chitwan used to be one of the leading flower producers in the country in the past.
“There is a shortage of garlands as well as flowers in Chitwan. We are left with no option but to buy plastic garlands,” said Ramila Neupane, a local.
Even the plastic and paper flowers have become expensive this year due to unprecedented rise in demand. “There is nothing we can do because the prices of these products have increased in India itself,” said Suleman Khan, a trader.
Farmers said they stopped commercial farming of flowers after cheaper Indian imports started displacing their products from the market.
“We cannot compete with cheaper imports from India because our production cost is high,” Dataram Ghimire, who runs a nursery in Chitwan, said.
(Manoj Adhikari reporting from Pokhara)
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