With no takers, unsold flowers at Koyambedu market end up in trash

Shutdown of places of worship, cancellation of functions cited

08/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Dip in demand: Of the 50 tonnes brought to the market in a day, about 10-15 tonnes are dumped as waste. M.Vedhan

With no takers during the lockdown, heaps of flowers are being dumped at the Koyambedu flower market.

With the sharp fall in demand due to the pandemic, over the past few days, several vendors have little choice but to dump the flowers, soon to perish, at the end of the day.

The wholesale market now functions till 1 p.m., every day.

On average, the market receives 8-10 lorries of flowers from across the State. It normally receives 30 truckloads of flowers.

Flower merchants noted that each lorry brings in five tonnes of flowers.

S. Mookiah, president of the Koyambedu Wholesale Flower Market Merchants’ Association, said transportation was a major issue in bringing flowers to the market and transporting them to other markets in the State.

“It may not be an essential commodity like vegetables and fruits, but we have sought permission to function to help the farmers,” he said.

A sharp fall

According to flower merchants, of the 50 tonnes brought to the market in a day, about 10-15 tonnes are being dumped as waste.

N. Shiva Peter, a flower merchant, said that small vendors from other markets such as Parrys’ Corner and Tambaram visit Koyambedu.

Now only 25-30% of the retail traders visit the market, he added.

The demand has dipped, as places of worship are shut, and functions are not being held.