Even a million roses a day sale brings no sweet succor for Lahore flower farmers!

LAHORE - Flower farmers in Pakistan have complained that despite an overwhelming sale of flowers in the country, particularly in Lahore, their earnings are low, as profits are pocketed by retailers.

According to the Daily Times, over a million roses as well as 25,000 kilogrammes of rose petals are sold in Lahore every day, which are delivered by farmers in Pattoki, Chonian, and Gujranwala.

Chaudhry Riaz Hussain, who has been farming roses for the past 10 years, said that he has decided to stop cultivating flowers because of the extremely low earnings.

“We work hard and finally the main profit goes to the brokers and the retailers. They (retailers and brokers) know that we can’t sell this product ourselves and we have to rely on them to market this crop, taking advantage of this weakness they exploit us and purchase the crop at lower rates,” Hussain said.

“Due to such exploitation, I have finally decided not to cultivate flowers and instead cultivate maize and turmeric from the next season,” he added.

‘Kisan Flowers Centre’ owner Tariq Ismael confirmed the concern, and said that flower brokers tend to take advantage of the booming business and walk away with the profits.

“Brokers purchase flowers from farmers at Rs.80 per 100 flower and then provide it to shopkeepers in Lahore at very high rates,” Ismael said.

He claims that farmers sell petals for Rs.40-50 per kilograms, while in the city the brokers sell it at double the rates. (ANI)