Favorable weather keeps flower supply sufficient

CEBU, Philippines – Retailers said yesterday that flower supply in the market is sufficient due to the favorable weather recently.

Days before the annual observance of All Saints' Day on Nov. 1 and All Souls' Day on Nov. 2, flower vendors at the Freedom Park in Cebu City's downtown area said the recent good weather had boosted flower production.

"The mix of rain and sunny weather had given farmers a good harvest of flowers," retailer Flora Alvarez told The FREEMAN in Cebuano yesterday.

But as always expected, retailers have warned consumers that flower prices are seen to go up leading to Nov. 1 and 2 when most people buy flowers for the remembrance of their departed loved ones.

Alvarez projected that prices may double next week because of high demand for flowers. But for now, flower costs have remained stable. For instance, a bundle of a so-called golden flower currently sells at P20 but this may go up to P50, the vendor said.

Gerry Avila, agribusiness chief at the Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas, said in a phone interview that flower supply is expectedly to be adequate this time because of the weather that had been favorable to flower growth.

Moreover, Zaide Bation, consumer welfare chief at the Department of Trade and Industry-Cebu, said yesterday that supply of candles, which are also in-demand during this season, is enough and that prices are stable so far.

Bation added the agency has started monitoring prices of locally-made candles. (FREEMAN)