KARACHI, Feb 15: While festive occasions have given a boost to the flower trade in cities and events like Valentine’s Day have spurred economic activity for many people operating businesses in urban areas, there is little to celebrate for farmers like Dr Nadeem Shah, who has been cultivating different flowers on a small piece of land in Matiari for decades.

“Any surge in demand and the subsequent rise in prices does not benefit flower growers in any way as they are bound to sell their produce to middlemen at a fixed rate for a certain period under a contract,” he said grimly.

Shah believes that the lack of any government infrastructure to facilitate farmers is the major reason why they continue to be exploited by middlemen. “In fact, it’s only the middlemen, manipulating the situation in their favour, who benefit. Consumers and farmers both are at the losing end; growers are forced to sell produce at reduced rates while consumers have no option but to buy an inexpensive produce at a much higher price.”

Giving an idea of the difference in prices that exist at the farm and city wholesale market levels, Rasool Baksh, a Hyderabad-based flower grower, said: “At present, rose is being sold at a price of Rs700 per maund at the farm while the same produce is being sold between Rs2,000 and Rs4,000 per maund in Karachi’s wholesale market at Teen Hatti. This huge price difference is the reason for the growers’ abject poverty and hike in prices of flowers in Karachi.”

Flower cultivation, especially the rose crop, is a major source of income for small farmers in the interior of Sindh. The crop, once mature, ensures a small amount of daily earning.

Severe water shortage and rising inflation have forced farmers in Sindh to sell their land and migrate either to Karachi or turn to other businesses.

Major supplies of flowers to Teen Hatti – considered to be Pakistan’s biggest flower market – come from Gharo, Thatta and Hatri, a town in Hyderabad. However, flowers are also grown in Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar, Matiari and some parts of Nawabshah and Naushehroferoz.

Besides rose, tuberoses, motia, marigold, statice, gladiolus and dehla (local name, a species of jasmine) are also grown in Sindh, depending upon season.

A huge number of cut-flowers, contributing about 30 to 40 per cent share in Teen Hatti’s market, are brought from Pattoki’s market in the Punjab.

According to Shahid Nadeem, a shopkeeper at Teen Hatti, there is a 20 per cent increase in the sale of flowers on Valentine’s Day every year and the prices double.

Good business, however, has not translated into better investment in infrastructure at the flower market. Lack of education and training coupled with government inaction in this sector is evident from the fact the market still works on an ad hoc basis despite the passage of many decades.

“This is not a proper market. The land is not on lease and most shops are on rent. Flower-sellers sitting on roadsides pay monthly extortion to the police so they let them do business,” said a shopkeeper.

There is hardly any shop in the market with proper flower chillers. As a result, a large number of flowers are wasted. Flower wastage also occurs during loading and shifting. The use of ice and cold water to prolong flowers’ life is common, though it damages the quality.

Hoping for government initiatives in the days ahead, Khalil-ur-Rehman, owner of three flower-shops in the city, feels that investment has to start from the farm level. “There are countless problems to tackle. But, the foremost is to make an investment at the farm level where production is taking place. Our farmer is too poor and needs support in the form of better income opportunities, education and training,” he said.