Traders stock lakhs of lotuses in cold storage to meet Puja requirements & stabilise prices

BALURGHAT: With lotus cultivation steadily declining in North Bengal districts, cold storages in South Dinajpur have become the lifeline to ensure an uninterrupted supply of the flower during the festive season. Lotus is one of the key ingredients for the Pujas. Traders are banking on these stored lotus flowers to meet soaring demands during Durga Puja, Kali Puja and other upcoming festivals.

Every year, about a month before the Pujas, wholesale traders travel to Jharkhand, Bihar and several districts across both South and North Bengal, including Uttar Dinajpur and Malda, to procure lotus flowers in bulk. Currently, several lakh lotus flowers have already been stocked up, especially by

traders from South Dinajpur. “Without storage, the price of lotus would shoot up to nearly Rs 100 per piece during Durga Puja. Since large-scale lotus farming is no longer feasible in South Dinajpur, we collect flowers from other districts or states and keep them in cold storage as Puja supply,” explained Mahadeb Saha, a flower trader from Balurghat.

At present, large-sized lotuses are selling for around Rs 10 apiece while smaller ones cost about Rs 5 in the Balurghat market. However, prices are expected to rise as Durga Puja approaches. Traders estimate that the district alone sees a demand for 1.5 to 2 lakh lotuses during Durga Puja, while overall festive requirements, including Lakshmi Puja and Kali Puja, reach nearly three lakh flowers. To meet this, cold storage becomes essential, with flowers being taken out basket by basket as per demand.

Although parts of Balurghat, Tapan and Gangarampur blocks still cultivate lotus in small patches, the overall production is far from sufficient. Interestingly, the district has recently seen a growing trend of makhana (fox nut) farming, which has further reduced the focus on lotus cultivation.

An official from the District Horticulture department said: “The cultivation of lotus in South Dinajpur is minimal but the demand is ever-increasing, especially for both flowers and leaves. Until now, there has been no initiative from the department in this regard.

However, we are considering ways to encourage farmers to take up lotus cultivation in the coming years.”