Flower farmers affected by Thursday ILP bandh

SHILLONG, OCT 18: The twelve hours bandh on Thursday called by the pro ILP ngos not only crippled normal life, but it also adversely affected farmers who came all the way from rural areas to exhibit and sell their flowers in the annual Autumn Flower Show 2013 held at the All Saint Hall. The three days flower show started on October 16 but the flowers exhibition and sale could not be held on October 17 affecting the sale of the farmers.

Twenty five farmers have put up their stalls in the show and some of them are from Mawngap and other remote areas of the state. These farmers do not get space to sell their flowers in the city and depends on the flower show to make a big killing.

The farmers lamented that as flowers are perishable, therefore the loss is huge as they look forward to bumper sale during the three days show that keep them financially sound throughout the year. With  bandh affecting their sale this time, the farmers have requested the organizer to extend the exhibition by one more days so that they can dispose off whatever has remain.

Reflecting the sentiment of the farmers, a local  flower supplier Sharmila said that though the  response of public to the flower show has been exceedingly well on Friday,  but the bandh on Thursday affected the sale of the flowers and the farmers incurred huge loss.

The annual flower festival has become a lifeline for many of the rural farmers who exhibit and sell their produces in the show.

Another participant Sunil Agarwal, operations head of Darjeeling Gardens,  said the bandh affected him badly as he had brought flower  products all the way from Australia and Holland for the exhibition.  He said people in Shillong usually demands pot plants which are expensive species.

Executive member of Shillong Agri- Horticulture Society Vishu Singhania informed that the local farmers largely depend on the show to exhibit and sell their produces.  He said, “With this bandh, now farmers have only one day left to sell off their goods since flowers are perishable products.”

Unhappy with the bandh, the farmers have requested the organizers to extend the show for one more day. -By Our Reporter