It is estimated that only about 30 percent of market demand will be met by domestic production, leaving 70 percent insufficient.
What you should know
For this year's Valentine's Day, 70 percent of the roses will be imported from India. The Floriculture Association of Nepal estimates that 450,000 rose sticks will be produced during the Valentine's Day week.
The association estimates that 270,000 sticks of roses will be consumed in the valley and 180,000 sticks in districts outside the valley. 'This year, there is a demand for 450,000 sticks of roses during the Valentine's Day week,' the association's statement said. 'It is estimated that only about 30 percent of the market demand will be met from domestic production, while about 70 percent of the market demand will be missed.'
It is estimated that only about 30 percent of the market demand will be met from domestic production, while about 70 percent of the market demand will be missed. Hiramani Sharma, general secretary of the association, said that roses cannot be imported formally as the government has set 'criteria' for rose imports, citing the risk of various diseases. 'There is no situation where they can be imported formally, traders can import roses informally,' he said.
The association has estimated that the purchase and sale of roses worth Rs 56.2 million will be made during the Valentine's Day week. Sharma said that the consumer price per stick is estimated to be between Rs 100 and Rs 150 depending on the quality of the flowers.
Since only the weather is favorable for production in Nepal, local production tends to decrease during the winter season. The association has stated that since the winter season is in Nepal on the occasion of Valentine's Day, which falls in February, the production of roses will decrease due to the cold weather.
Due to adverse weather conditions, roses bloom less in winter, so Sharma says that we have to depend on roses for Valentine's Day. 'We are self-reliant on roses in the summer, but we are dependent on them in the winter,' he said, 'We can only make roses bloom in high-tech greenhouses in the winter. But we do not have such technology because it is expensive. The government is not investing either.'
Sharma said that 60 percent of the total market demand is consumed in the Rose Valley and 40 percent in the rest of the city. Last year, it was estimated that 350,000 rose sticks would be consumed during the Valentine's Day week, but the association has data that 412,000 sticks were consumed. A total of Rs 40 million worth of roses were traded during that week.
Last year, it was estimated that 25 percent of domestic production and 75 percent of imported roses would meet the demand, but the association had stated that domestic production accounted for 8.50 percent and imports accounted for 91.50 percent. Last year, the association stated that roses were traded for Rs 80 to 120 per stick.
On an average day, except for festivals, there is a demand of 8 to 12 thousand rose sticks per day in the country. Last year, about 425,000 rose sticks were traded. In Nepal, commercial cultivation of roses is carried out in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Chitwan, Kavrepalanchok and Rupandehi, and the association has stated that commercial cultivation of roses is expanding in other districts as well.
