Hyderabad: With the beginning of the holy month of Sravanam on Monday, there is a sudden increase in demand for flowers. As an instant reaction, the prices of the flowers have almost doubled with the more popular ones pushing their prices even higher.

Retailers and customers throng wolesale markets in the city as suppliers are bending backwards to meet the sudden but expected surge of demand. But due to less than expected quantities of flowers coming in from local farms and neighbouring states, stocks arriving at the biggest flower markets in the state, Gudimalkapur and Poolbagh are not sufficient to meet the actual requirements of the city.

The city needs at least 10,000 kg of jasmine daily but neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are supplying only 9,000 kg pushing the price from Rs 50 per kg to Rs 250 per kg overnight. Similarly, the city is getting only 250 kg of marigold and 1,000 kg of roses which is almost 50 per cent of the actual demand.

L. Sunder, a trader from Poolbagh, said that the price of Chamomile has increased four times compared to what it with last month. “It was available at Rs 100 per kg and sometimes it rose to Rs 120. For the past two days, however, it has increased to Rs 400 per kg which is an all time record. Similarly, the prices of rose, jasmine and marigold have increased too", he said.

Assistant Director of Horticulture department Mohammad Abdul Sattar said, “It is not just the Sravana Masam. This will continue till Diwali, Kartika Masam and Margasiram (till Janua-ry). The marriage season and Ayyappa season will also show an increased demand. This year Hyderabad and its outskirts are cultivating flowers in a total of 900 acres. But the produce from this cultivation accounts for only 28 per cent of the demand,” he said.