Flower prices seen to go up

MANILA, Philippines — Shops in Dangwa, Manila, the country’s main source of wholesale flowers, are expected to increase the prices of flowers as All Saints’ Day approaches, with Filipinos demanding more flowers while supplies were affected by recent typhoons that hit the country.

Ela-Mar Flower Shop manager Alvin Esteban and Joji’s Flower Shop owner Jinky Berdin told The STAR that many farmers were affected by typhoons, resulting in the wholesale price of flowers declining.

Esteban explained that the prices of flowers and flower arrangements will depend on the supply from Baguio City, where flower plantations were destroyed.

“We are just starting to recover (after the COVID-19 pandemic), but recently, the flowers (prices) went up after flower plantations (in Baguio City) were destroyed,” he said, noting that ready-made flower arrangements are currently sold for as low as P100 to P400.

“We are really praying (to increase our sales). If the flowers are high and the consumers cannot afford to buy, the demand will also suffer. We will sell at reasonable prices as long as we don’t suffer losses,” he added.

There is still uncertainty if the volume of flowers will increase just in time for All Saints’ Day when the flower demand is expected to rise, Esteban admitted.

“Many farmers in Baguio City shifted to vegetables. Those who still believe in flowers, planted, so it will depend if the supply of flowers is stable,” he noted.

Berdin, in a separate interview, also said that many greenhouses in Baguio and Benguet were destroyed by typhoons, resulting in the wholesale price of flowers declining from P380.

“We still don’t know if there will be enough supply of flowers as many greenhouses in Baguio and Benguet were destroyed but from P380, the bundle of cut flowers went down to P230, P250, depending on the quality. Our retail prices ranged from P130 to P150,” she said.

“Last year, the volume of flowers was high. That was why, even though there was an increase in prices, it was not that big. If there is big demand but the supply is limited, that’s the time there is an increase in the prices,” she explained.

Esteban and Berdin advised Filipinos to start buying flowers as early as Oct. 27-28, as the peak in the demand for flowers in Dangwa begins from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1.