Pune flower prices have fallen sharply at the Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Market Yard after demand weakened during Pitru Paksha, leaving growers from Pune, Satara, Sangli and Solapur districts struggling to secure expected returns.
Flower trader Sagar Bhosale said the market had recorded better prices during the first five days of the Ganesh festival. Prices then declined gradually after the immersion of Gauri idols, as demand reduced during Pitru Paksha.
“During the first five days of the Ganesh festival, flowers received good prices. After Gauri immersion, flower prices continued to decline in stages. Demand for flowers is low during Pitru Paksha,” Bhosale said.
The price decline has come after farmers sent large quantities of flowers to the market during the Shravan month and Ganesh festival. According to Bhosale, the volume supplied this year was high, but the prices did not meet growers’ expectations compared with last year.
Bhosale said rainfall conditions also influenced cultivation and flower quality. July received good rainfall, encouraging farmers to expand flower cultivation. However, the intensity of the rain reduced after August. Excessive rain can damage flowers, while this year the Shravan month and Ganesh festival experienced only occasional showers.
The subsequent dry period helped maintain flower quality, Bhosale said. After the rain stopped, the grading of flowers remained good, allowing farmers to send substantial quantities for sale during the main festival period. The combination of good production, adequate quality and weaker demand contributed to the lower prices reported at the wholesale market.
The market’s next expected demand increase is linked to Navratri, which is scheduled to begin on 11 October. Traders and growers expect flower purchases to rise during the festival and prices to improve as a result.
The seasonal movement illustrates the dependence of flower growers on festival-linked demand in Pune’s wholesale market. Production is spread across several districts, while sales are concentrated around periods when religious and cultural events increase urban consumption. When supplies remain high after a festival and demand falls during a low-demand period, growers can face lower realisations even when the quality of the produce is reported to be good.
For the city, the Market Yard remains an important point connecting regional flower cultivation with retailers, decorators, households and festival-related demand. The immediate market outlook will depend on the volume arriving from producing districts and the level of purchases during Navratri. Traders expect the festival, beginning on 11 October, to provide the next significant opportunity for prices to recover.
