Flower Prices Spike Amid Tihar Festival

The prices of Makhamali (globe amaranth) and Sayapatri (marigold) flowers, essential for the Tihar festival, have surged sharply from farms to retail markets in the Kathmandu Valley and nearby districts.

Farmers in Gundu — a major flower-producing area in Bhaktapur’s Suryabinayak Municipality — sold marigold flowers  during Laxmi Puja on Monday at Rs 700 per kg, up from Rs 300 just a week ago. In local markets, retail prices have exceeded Rs 1,000 per kg, reflecting a steep rise within days.

According to Prakash Jha of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality–5, a 1-kg garland of marigold is being sold for Rs 1,500 in local markets. Street vendor Pramila Lama from Radhe Radhe said prices began rising from Sunday, starting at the farm level itself. Flowers imported from Kavrepalanchowk, Sindhuli, Sindhupalchowk, and Panchkhal, which were earlier priced at Rs 300 per kg, have now doubled to Rs 600 per kg.

Open-field marigold flowers are currently selling for Rs 700–800 per kg, while tunnel-grown varieties fetch up to Rs 1,300 per kg due to their longer freshness of up to a week.

Prices of globe amaranth garlands have also climbed noticeably. Once sold to traders for Rs 25–30 per garland, they now cost Rs 40–45, while retail prices have reached Rs 100 per piece.

Despite the high prices, farmers have not benefited proportionately. Observers say middlemen continue to pocket most of the profits, with a significant gap between farmgate and market prices.

Florist Anita Basnet said Gundu alone is supplying flowers and garlands worth around Rs 50 million this year, with individual farming families earning between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000 each. Currently, globe amaranth is cultivated across 700 ropanis (around 35.6 hectares) of land in Gundu, while marigold cultivation covers about 300 ropanis.

According to local supplier Urmila Nagarkoti, the price hike was driven by intense competition among middlemen and suppliers trying to secure enough stock for the festive demand.

In addition to flowers, prices of traditional citrus fruits used during Tihar — such as Bhogate (pomelo) and Bimiro (citron) — have also surged. Bhogate now costs Rs 150, up from Rs 60, while Bimiro has jumped from Rs 30 to Rs 100–150. -- RSS