- Mumbai's Dadar flower market saw high demand for red roses on Valentine's Day
- Rose supplies were tight due to increased exports from Pune's Talegaon region
- Maharashtra's rose exports rose 8% to nearly Rs 50 crore from Jan to Nov 2025
As Mumbai geared up for Valentine's Day on Saturday, the bustling Dadar flower market saw a surge of shoppers searching for red roses — traditionally the most sought‑after flower of the season. However, wholesalers and retailers reported unusually tight supplies this year, largely due to a sharp rise in rose exports from Pune's Talegaon region, according to an NDTV India report.
Suppliers said the domestic market felt the impact of heavy outbound shipments. "Unprecedented export of roses affected the domestic supply," a trader explained, noting that a significant portion of premium-quality roses was diverted to international buyers ahead of Valentine's week.
Data from Maharashtra's floriculture sector shows rose exports grew by about 8% between January and November 2025, reaching nearly Rs 50 crore compared with around Rs 46 crore in the same period the previous year. The growth in exports came despite major production setbacks for farmers.
Growers in key rose‑producing belts struggled with prolonged monsoon rains followed by an unusually harsh winter, both of which disrupted flowering cycles. The adverse weather also intensified pest and disease infestations, further cutting yields. Farmers say input costs didn't ease either as expenses for chemicals, fertilizers and electricity remained high, compounding financial pressures even as production fell.
With lower output and heightened export demand, retailers in Mumbai were forced to pay more to secure stock, leading to tighter supply and steeper prices for consumers during one of the busiest flower-buying periods of the year.
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