Warangal: Wilting flowers leave farmers high and dry

Warangal: For a change, it's not drought or vagaries of nature that let down the farmers this time. The coronavirus (Covid-19) - the pandemic that gobbling up many lives across the globe has also hit the livelihood of floriculture farmers also. With the lockdown putting an end to celebrations, especially weddings, the farmers who took up flower cultivation staring at huge loss this season.According to Horticulture Department, the area occupied by the flower cultivation is around 700 acres in erstwhile Warangal district. The breakup: Warangal Urban 66 acres, Warangal Rural 406 acres,

Mahabubabad 129 acres, Jangaon 26

acres, Jayashankar-Bhupalpally 43 acres, Mulugu 30 acres.

Although majority of farmers in erstwhile Warangal district prefer the cultivation of paddy, cotton, maize and chilli, around 300 farmers are dependent on floriculture. They cultivate lily, rose, marigold, jasmine, gerbera, chrysanthemums etc, allotting a part of their land as an additional income source.

Against this backdrop, coronavirus hit them hard. Initially the fear of coronavirus outbreak and then due to the complete lockdown, all the weddings scheduled for this season have been put on the backburner. Majority of weddings that were scheduled in the auspicious phalguna masam have been either postponed or held as a low-key affair with the riders announced by the government.

Speaking to The Hans India, Warangal District Horticulture and Sericulture Officer (DHSO) R Srinivasa Rao said: "With no celebrations around, the flowers are wilting in the fields. Unfortunately, the farmers are left with no option but to bear the loss. In addition to this loss, the farmers have to bear labour expenses in case of gerbera. If flowers are not plucked, the next crop is in danger of facing low yield."

The only solace is that farmers had already harvested marigold this season, the DHSO added.

M Sambasiva Rao of Laknepally village in Warangal Rural district, floriculturist, said: "Notwithstanding plenty of water resources and conducive atmosphere for the farming this year, it's an unforeseen blow. I cultivated lily in four acres hoping a bonanza this season. But with the prevailing coronavirus lockdown, I have to throw away the flowers or leave them in the field itself to save labour expenses."

"Many couple who were all set to unite in wedding knot during the auspicious phalguna masam were forced to reschedule the muhurats. We also have plenty of muhurats in the chaitra masam but the weddings are unlikely to happen due to Covid-19 threat," Siddhanti Vedantham

Srinivasacharyulu said.