Jhenidah flower traders making good profit

Flower growers and traders of bouquets and garlands are making good profit amid high demand of the items centring the Valentine's Day today.

In the district famous for flower producing, a good number of people, especially women and girl students, are passing busy time to make jhopas (a jhopa=800 flowers) that are supplied to Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Rajshahi and other areas of the country.

This time a jhopa sells for Tk 150 to 200 while in other times, the prices fall as low as Tk 20/25, said traders.

Flower growers said, they get good profit in February as the demand increases, especially ahead of the Valentine's day when people buy flowers for offering to loved ones.

Besides, educational institutions, offices, different organisations and individuals purchase flowers for offering at the altar of Shaheed Minars in honour of the Language Movement martyrs on the Ekushe February (February 21).

Especially, gladiolus, rajanigandha, rose and marigold are in great demand this time.

Visiting Baliadanga village in Kaliganj upazila a couple of days ago, this correspondent found that women and girl students were busy making jhopas.

Working in the free time between household chores and study, they can make six to 12 jhopas a day and get Tk 10 per jhopa.

Bithika Rani Das, a Class VIII student of the village, said she earns Tk 80 a day by making eight jhopas. She buys her study materials with the money.

"I earn Tk 120 by making 12 jhopas daily. It is much helpful for our family as my husband is a poor farm labourer," said housewife Beauty Rani Das.

Ahmed Ali of Dumurtala village under Kaliganj upazila said he has cultivated flowers on 15 decimals of land spending Tk 15 thousand.

"I have sold flowers worth Tk 30 thousand and hope to earn Tk 50 thousand more till the end of February if the weather remains good," he said.

Flower trader Shariful Islam of Kaliganj upazila town said the demand of flowers and its prices increase across the country during this month because of the Valentine's Day and the Ekushe February.

Shah Akrmul Haq, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension in Jhenidah, said 738 hectares of land in the district have been brought under flower cultivation this year.