This Valentine's Day, plenty of heartache for India's rose cultivators

Rose growers in South India, mainly Hosur, have for many years spread the scent of love on Valentine's Day around the world. But the world seems to have jilted them for other options this time

As the world celebrates Valentine’s Day, rose growers in Tamil Nadu, particularly those in Hosur, find themselves jilted — their Kenyan counterparts seem to draw more attention. 

And back home, prices in local markets have wilted, although costs have risen. 

Flower growers in Hosur said the quality of roses this year was better than last year. Even so, different export markets were affected by disparate reasons. 

Hosur and Bengaluru are flower cultivation hubs in south India, while Pune and parts of Gujarat account for the bulk of cultivation in the north.

Hosur alone contributes 25-35 per cent to the country’s