Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Oct 22: Goa’s marigold production has increased by an estimated 240 tonnes this year to 720 tonnes, but local farmers and vendors have struggled to sell their flowers due to an influx of cheaper supplies from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu during Dussehra.

The bumper harvest brought little relief to growers as the market was flooded with flowers brought in from neighbouring states to meet festive demand. The excess supply reportedly left several local farmers and vendors struggling to sell their stock.

Marigold prices in rural markets fell from Rs 100 per kg to Rs 70, and in some cases to as low as Rs 10 to Rs 20 per kg by Dussehra evening.

Vendors said large quantities of flowers brought from outside Goa remained unsold and were eventually discarded after the festival, causing losses to traders and local growers.

“Trucks of marigolds were brought to Goa from Karnataka and other places. But now see, the unsold flowers are being thrown everywhere,” said flower vendor Padmavati Gawas, pointing to the flowers discarded after the festival.

Reshma Mayenkar, another vendor from Bicholim, said traders from outside the state had brought in large quantities of marigolds and sold them alongside local vendors.

She said the outside traders had stocked up heavily to capitalise on festive demand, but much of the supply remained unsold when sales failed to match expectations.

The situation has raised concerns among local flower sellers, who struggled to earn a reasonable income despite the increase in the state’s marigold production.