The business with flowers is turning into an industry with a lot of promises for domestic market and for exports, with the month of February playing the tremendous role in helping the flower industry to flourish.
The Pahela Falgun (the beginning of the Spring), Valentine’s Day and the International Mother Language Day on February 21 are the days in February that see jump in sales of flower, enabling sellers to make windfall profits.
Shahbag has emerged as major hub of flower trading – both wholesale and retail – in view of its proximity with Dhaka University campus, Central Shaheed Minar and banking on the higher demand for flower on special days.
A large quantity of flowers is made available in the market across the country for a brisk business. The flowers of high demand on these occasions are rose, gladiolus, gerbera and tuberose.
Abdur Rahim, president of Bangladesh flower society, told UNB that on the two days (Pahela Falgun and Valentine’s Day) flower trade increased manifold compared to normal days.
Traders say they produce flowers round the year but they always target the special days like December 31, Valentine’s Day, national days, religious festivals and other important days.
The annual turnover of the flower industry is no less than Tk. 500 crore, according to Rahim.
His farmland is in Godkhali, the country’s flower hub located in Jessore.
Flowers are grown in some other pockets such as Birulia of Savar in Dhaka.
Flower cultivation is now being extended to hilly districts of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar, too. Altogether the floriculture is extended to at least 20 districts as commercial basis.
He recollected memories of when former US Ambassador Dan W Mozena visited Godkhali in 2013 and had pledged a cold storage in the coming days.
However, when asked, Sher Ali, the pioneer of floriculture in Jessore and founder president of Godkhali Flower Cultivators and Flower Traders Welfare Samity, said they were yet to know any development regarding the cold storage.
The flower trade has changed the fortune of Towhidul Islam who has been in the trade for 15 years. From a mediocre start, he has turned into a wholesaler in Khamarbari. Currently, his average profit margin is 40-50 percent.
Fates of many like him are related with the Valentine’s Day and other important days that could be used for promotion of flower industry in Bangladesh. It is not only flowers that are going to boost the first quarter of this year’s festival economics, but also red and heart-shaped elements.
In the digital age, where 3D printing has the ability to print pictures on practically anything, as a result, during these special days, especially Valentine’s Day, novelty items such as t-shirts, mugs and others sell better.
Upon inspection, a walk into any novelty items store will experience a red blanket affair of key-rings, cards, accessories and more.
Teddy bears, the poster animal for the cute and cuddly, come in a variety of merchandise -key chains, greeting cards, etc. With the festivals branding on the rise in the past few years, the focus on February 14 has been rather intensive over the past few years.
Moinul Islam, an engineer, said more often than cards and rings, he is always on the lookout for restaurant offers and hotel getaway packages, thanks to the boost in retail, ecommerce giants such as Daraz and Kaymu are dishing out special discounts, often extended till the end of the month.
“I’m on the lookout for special food packages from Dhakasnob.com,” said Abid, an avid foodie, ‘restaurants like Terra Bistro or the Pit Grill will surely put up attractive and delicious menus’.
For many, the gesture of gifting also stems from the watching their favourite stars do so on the big screen.
From shots of them shopping at stores like Archies, to dramatic dialogues inspired from love tokens, Asif, a store manager at Archies’ New Market branch, says stores can thank film culture for their sales.
“With the kind of romantic proposals and gestures film-stars use onscreen, it becomes popular and people start asking for similar items at our shop,” he informed.
As retail business is about to pick up, it remains to be seen how it maintains momentum after Pahela Baishakh.
