Udupi: Shankarapura jasmine price soars high

Udupi, 19 Jul 2013: Shopping for the famed mallige of Shankarapura will pinch a hole in your pocket. Incessant rain in the region has put the fragrant flowers out of the commonman’s reach even after wedding season is over. The price of Shankarapura jasmine per atte (a local measure of flower) spurted to Rs 820 this week.

 

The price reached its peak on July 9 and it continued till July 15. However, the price per atte on July 16 was Rs 520. It is expected that the price may not come down till Ganesh Chathurthi festival.

 

Usually, the crop’s output starts reducing in September, but this year due to early arrival of monsoon and its continuity, there is a shortage in supply from July itself. In the initial days of June, the price was hovering between Rs 110 and Rs 170 per atte. The price decreased to Rs 70 on June 16 and the same price with slight variations continued till July first week.

 

Though this is Ashada, considered to be an inauspicious month as per Hindu calendar, some functions like christening or baby shower ceremonies do take place. There is still good demand for the flower while the supply has hit a rock bottom.

 

The lowest price this year was Rs 70, which was Rs 45 last year. In April this year, due to inauspicious Moudhya period, the market for jasmine crop had slumped. The price per atte was fluctuating between Rs 110 and Rs 150. However, the market literally blossomed in May due to wedding season.

 

The price per atte spurted to Rs 420 on Sauramana Ugadi. However, the crop subsequently reduced due to lack of water in summer. Farmers got bumper yield in June after the onset of monsoon. But as the wedding season was over by then, demand had fallen and so did the price.

 

Udupi Mallige Belegarara Sangha president Ramakrishna Sharma Bantakallu told that the price is expected to increase again, but will not come down as the yield has decreased and the demand is more.

 

Abraham Fernandes, a jasmine grower in Moodubelle, told that due to heavyrain, water gets stagnated near the jasmine plants and the crop is reduced now by 75 per cent compared to first week of June.

 

A jasmine customer in Udupi flower market said he paid Rs 1,200 per atte on July 13 as the price of jasmine is comparatively high in the city markets. He had to buy it for the baby shower ceremony in his house.